BTAD Part 2: Diablo's Hourglass
by Spunky0ne
Summary: While rebuilding their lives in the wake of Aizen's treachery, Byakuya and Renji find themselves faced with their worst fears realized when the enemy they thought gone returns to inflict a devastating blow...
1. Rebuilding

**Diablo's Hourglass**

**Between Twilight and Dawn Part 2**

**By Spunky0ne (with storyline assistance from the lovely and dark-minded Walkure Leuad. Don't get her angry, folks…LOL, just kidding!)**

**Chapter 1: Rebuilding**

Byakuya felt the bed move and heard Renji groan softly as he headed for the bathroom. The dark haired taichou sighed sympathetically and climbed out of bed, making his way to the kitchen, waving off the attendant, who appeared in the hallway behind him, then turning away and making a pot of tea. He yawned sleepily, watching the water bubble, then pouring it into the cups and letting the tea steep. He set the two cups on a tray and returned to the bedroom, just in time to see Renji slide back into bed, still looking sluggish and pale. He set the tea on the nightstand and climbed in bed next to the redhead, then handed him one of the cups and lifted the other to his own lips.

"Thanks, Bya," he said, taking a sip.

He blinked in surprise.

"Ginger tea," Byakuya said quietly, "My grandmother's recipe. She used to make it for us whenever our stomachs were sour…which among nobles tends to happen more than you think."

Renji smiled.

"They're not so bad, Bya. The new council was pretty damned quick to annul your marriage to Aizen and approve our engagement. And they've sent members over more than a few times to visit. They ask a lot of questions, but…it's not so bad."

"Just wait," Byakuya said dryly, "They're still recovering from the shock of all that happened. They'll revert to form eventually. You will see."

Renji laughed softly and leaned over to kiss him. Byakuya met Renji's tea-sweetened lips warmly.

"Do you feel any better?" Byakuya asked, "because you still look dreadful."

"Thanks," Renji said with mock sarcasm, "I'm fine. I guess I just thought that since my body wasn't going to get any bigger during this, that the side effects wouldn't be that bad. Ugh…I can't imagine how you managed to eat anything when you were pregnant with Akane…"

He stopped himself, and looked down at the bedding.

"Sorry…" Renji said, keeping his eyes lowered, "I didn't mean to…"

"Renji," Byakuya said quietly, "It's all right to talk about when I was pregnant with Akane. While it's true that I was Aizen's prisoner then, I was bolstered by her presence while I carried her inside me. It's not wrong to try to find comfort in the fact that not everything that happened to me in Hueco Mundo was bad."

"Hai," acknowledged Renji, leaning against him and burying his face in the dark, sakura scented hair, "Still, I can't help wishing that you could forget all about that time…that awful place…"

Byakuya shook his head.

The past won't disappear just because I will it to, Renji…and there are some things that I don't want to forget…like how you never gave up hope of finding me…how you refused to take my place as taichou until Las Noches fell and I was either found or declared dead. And no one fought harder to keep Akane and me safe while we battled Aizen. Those are good things, Renji, and they are things that I want to remember."

Renji captured his mouth again and kissed him harder.

"I know," Renji said, "but I wish you never had to be taken by him."

"There's no going back," Byakuya sighed, "but I appreciate the sentiment."

He waited as Renji settled down on the pillows, then curled into his arms, resting a hand on his abdomen.

"I wish I could feel his reiatsu," said Byakuya softly.

Renji felt a pang of sadness for him, but just let a hand slide down his back and curl around his waist, pulling him closer.

"Don't worry," he assured the noble, "Kisuke said it won't be too much longer before you can have the seal taken off your spirit energy and give those restored spirit centers a test drive."

"It has been over six months that I've lived without a shred of spirit energy. When I finally do get released from the seal on my powers, I won't have the spiritual pressure of a gnat."

Renji laughed softly.

"You'll be back at full strength before you know it. And we'll have our baby boy then."

"We could have this child at any time now, you know," Byakuya reminded him, "You have carried him for the minimum time required already. But your body will tell you when it's time."

"Then…"

"Then," Byakuya said, kissing him, "I will be right beside you while he is born."

"Okay," said Renji nervously, "but just so you know. I'm not quite so sure about all of this as you. You said it hurts some?"

"There are some pains as the reiatsu leaves the body, but it is well within tolerable limits. And it takes less time than most living world births. You will require a few days after to recover, but I assure you, you will be so swept up in caring for him, you won't have time to notice what discomfort there is…not that I had that opportunity with Akane, but this is what I've heard, in any case."

Byakuya's fingers moved lightly over the redhead's stomach and Renji sighed happily.

"You know, if you keep doing that, I think I'm going to roll over on you and have my way with you."

"Hmm…" Byakuya mused, still rubbing Renji's stomach, "I wasn't aware that my grandmother's cure for sour stomach was also an aphrodisiac…but then, there is much in these noble families that gets swept under the rug."

"Aw, hell!" exclaimed Renji, "Now I don't know whether to have sex with you or just hold you down and make you tell me all of the Kuchiki family's deepest, darkest secrets."

"Well," said Byakuya dryly, "I imagine there's time for both. Which would you like to do first?"

"This," Renji said, turning and forcing him down onto his back.

He dove onto the graceful white throat, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin until Byakuya's hands tightened on him and the noble gave a decidedly hungry moan.

"I thought you weren't feeling well, Abarai," Byakuya managed a bit breathlessly.

"I wasn't," the redhead admitted, "but then you started touching me like that and I couldn't help but get a little turned on."

"A little?" Byakuya asked, sliding his hand down to wrap around Renji's already swollen member, "I'd say you're more than a little turned on."

"Okay, I'm a lot turned on. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not in the slightest," said Byakuya, sliding his hand up and down the redhead's length and tilting his head back to offer his lover better access to his throat.

"Kami, Bya, can we just skip breakfast and go right to dessert?" Renji panted, sliding down his chest.

Without waiting for an answer, he took hold of the noble's thick arousal and began a warm, intense stimulation. Byakuya went from not having time to speak to not having the breath. He moaned and writhed, trying to remember that Renji was about to give birth, so as to not tackle and devour the man.

"R-renji…" he gasped softly, closing his eyes and arching his back, "for kami's sake, I won't last thirty s-seconds…Ren…ji…"

The redhead smiled sweetly, continuing his manipulations until Byakuya could hold back no more.

"Ren…" Byakuya gasped, the pleasure exploding through him and rendering him speechless.

His breath released in a trembling sob of delight as hot seed burst out of him. The redhead's eyes closed and Byakuya stared at the beautiful sight of his red haired lover. Then he crawled up the noble's sweat dampened body and fastened his hot, wet mouth on Byakuya's, sliding his body between the noble's thighs and slowly entering him with short, gentle thrusts. He paused for a moment, gazing down into the dark, sated eyes.

"Aishiteru yo…Bya…" he whispered.

"Aishiteru yo," Byakuya answered softly, sliding his hands down the redhead's back and encouraging his hips to move.

Renji answered the welcoming gesture with deep, hard thrusts and a flurry of kisses that left the noble breathless again. Byakuya's body rose eagerly to meet his lover's and he moaned Renji's name. As the redhead continued to move, the spiritual pressure rose around them, licking at their bodies and swelling as Renji's pleasure increased. Renji continued to plunder the lovely, pale body that writhed beneath his, missing entirely the look of discomfort that erupted onto his face and the heaving of his breast as the spirit energy pressed in around him. He called the redhead's name feverishly, then dizzily as Renji's body continued to thrust deeply into his. He felt himself gasping for breath, then Renji's body paused and began to shudder, sending waves of spiritual pressure dancing all around them.

Spots flashed before the noble's eyes and he managed to hiss the redhead's name one more time as Renji surrendered to climax and collapsed wearily onto his chest. Byakuya felt the darkness close in and everything went quiet for a time.

"Byakuya."

The name broke into the silence around him and he took a dragging breath. Renji's hands rubbed his wrists and the redhead kissed him repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, Bya," he said desperately, "I wasn't thinking straight. Damn! I could have really hurt you!"

"I'm fine, Renji," Byakuya said, taking another shaky breath.

"Are you sure?" Renji asked, his face flushed with guilt.

"Abarai, I said I'm fine," snapped Byakuya, pulling away forcefully.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his head still spinning.

"You don't need to worry over me as though I'm some small child," he said in a softer tone, "I lack tolerance for spiritual pressure, but I _can_ manage."

He rose and tied his yukata, then picked up the empty teacups.

"Would you like more tea, Renji?" he asked, sounding as though nothing had happened.

Renji stared for a moment, then sighed and settled back against the pillows.

"Yeah," he said softly, "Tea would be good."

"Green or more of the ginger tea?"

"Ginger…arigatou."

Byakuya turned and started towards the kitchen. Renji watched him leave, then climbed out of bed and tied his yukata closed. He opened the garden doors and stepped outside, turning his eyes to look up at the full moon.

_Damn, I feel stupid. It wasn't enough that I could have crushed him with my spiritual pressure. I had to make it worse by crushing what's left of his pride…and on top of everything, he has to watch me give birth to the baby he was supposed to have…I can't do anything right…_

He felt tears in his eyes and couldn't quite contain them. He tried, but as he had been warned by Unohana taichou, his hold on his emotions was shaky. He rubbed his hands over his face, brushing away the offending tears.

"Renji?" Byakuya said from somewhere behind him.

Warm arms slipped around him and Byakuya's face burrowed into his hair from behind. The redhead sighed and leaned into the embrace and tried not to give away his emotional state. But, somehow, Byakuya seemed to know.

"Renji," he whispered in the redhead's ear, "Do you really think that you can hide your feelings from me? We are soul bonded. I can still sense your thoughts and emotions, even without my powers. I am sorry. I didn't mean to react so strongly. I'm not accustomed to being so weak…so helpless…so affected by everything. I let it get control of my emotions and took it out on you when I shouldn't have."

"It isn't your fault," Renji said, turning into his arms, "Hell, I don't know how you hold it together sometimes. I couldn't just go without my powers for so long, like you have. I'd be a wreck…but you really aren't. Byakuya…even without your powers, you're still such a strong person."

Byakuya sighed into the redhead's shoulder.

"I certainly don't feel very strong."

"But you are…and I'm glad…because, well, I didn't want to sound childish, but I'm really kind of scared about giving birth. I know it's not going to be like a human birth, but…"

"But you wonder what exactly will happen…and you worry about what could go wrong…and you have all kinds of fears that you feel silly having, but that make perfect sense. Renji…that's how I felt too."

A tear fell from one eye as Renji kissed Byakuya and took his face in both hands.

"But you had it worse than me, because all you had was Aizen and his healer to help you. Bya, you must have been terrified."

Byakuya sighed softly.

"Sometimes…but I had no choice but to work through it. Renji…we find the strength we need to go on by remembering what is most important. If you do that, then you will forget your fears. Everything will be all right. I will be with you through all of this…and you and our baby will be just fine."

Renji managed a smile and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Byakuya captured his lips gently, holding their bodies close together.

"Aishiteru yo, Renji," he said softly.

"Aishiteru yo, Bya," Renji whispered back.

They turned back into the bedroom and returned to their bed. Renji sipped at the tea that Byakuya had left on the nightstand, then curled into the noble's arms and rested his head on his lover's shoulder.

"Thanks for making me feel better about this, Bya," Renji breathed, starting to drift off, "I was really scared before, but I think I'll be okay now. It helps to know you've been through this."

Byakuya gave him a gentle smile.

"Yes, I have…and I assure you that you will be fine. Rest Renji. Once the baby arrives, things will be busy indeed."

Renji tried to say something in return, but his reply was disrupted by a huge yawn. He nuzzled closer to Byakuya and slowly drifted off to sleep. Byakuya held the redhead close and gazed out the garden doors at the stars and moon. His hand slipped down again to Renji's abdomen and he stroked the area gently. He knew that small life was there, just beneath his hand, but his heart clutched at his inability to feel its lovely pulse. He thought back to why his powers had been lost and decided that it was, all in all, worth the cost.


	2. Sheltered

**Chapter 2: Sheltered**

"Your baby is full term," Unohana taichou told Renji and Byakuya, "and could be born any day now. He is in perfect health."

Byakuya slipped an arm beneath Renji's shoulders and eased him into a sitting position.

"Arigato," Renji said, smiling up at him, "My stomach may be normal sized, but it feels like there's a baby elephant rolling around in there!"

He slipped his feet over the edge of the bed and stood.

"I remember how that felt," Byakuya told him, "It seemed to help if I walked a bit or did the breathing exercises that I showed you."

Unohana smiled.

"You are lucky Kuchiki taichou has been through this and can be so supportive. I understand that you have a trained clan healer staying at the manor?"

Byakuya nodded.

"She will be arriving tomorrow and will stay until the baby is born."

"That is good. She will know best how to be of assistance. Now…I thought that I should tell you that I heard there is a large storm coming in tonight. If you would like, the two of you are welcome to stay here in the healing center."

"Oh," said Renji quickly, "no, that's okay. Storms don't bother us. The buildings can take a lot and we have a big storm cellar with everything you could possibly want to keep busy until the storm passes. We'll be all right."

"Hmm," said Byakuya noncommittally, "Perhaps you should consider it, Renji. I have to get back to Akane, but it would be good if you stayed where there is someone who can help in case of an emergency. As I said, the clan healer won't arrive until tomorrow, so it might be better if you stayed here."

"But I don't want to stay here," the redhead said, frowning, "Akane and I are supposed to play games until bedtime and you said you would make me more ginger tea."

Byakuya smiled placatingly.

"Well…I suppose I wouldn't want to make you break your play date with our daughter, but if there's a hint of trouble…"

"You may bring Renji in at any time," Unohana assured them, "The staff knows your situation and will inform me immediately if I am needed."

"Again, arigato," said Byakuya, slipping an arm around Renji.

The two left the healing center and walked out into the streets of the Seireitei, and were instantly buffeted by the wind preceding the storm.

"I thought the storm wasn't coming until later," Renji said over the rush of heavy breezes."

"This is just the beginning," Byakuya replied, looking concerned, "Perhaps we should go back."

"No," Renji insisted, "Bya, I feel fine…and I always have trouble sleeping in that place."

"Oh very well," Byakuya sighed in frustration.

Renji laughed softly and nuzzled closer to him.

"What, are you worried about me?" he said, smiling.

"I'm worried about both of you," Byakuya said, looking less than pleased, "but it is important for you to have your rest, so if you want to go back to the manor, we will."

"Everything will be fine, Bya," Renji assured him, "This storm is just a lot of noise and bluster."

He and Byakuya exchanged glances.

"Don't even think about saying it, Abarai," the noble warned him.

"What'll you do? I'm carrying your baby."

"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "but eventually the baby will be born…and then…I will make you pay."

Renji laughed and nuzzled closer again.

"Aishiteru yo, Bya," he murmured against the noble's throat.

"Aishiteru yo," Byakuya replied, turning his head to nip at the redhead's warm lips.

"Ah, don't start that here," Renji said warningly, "We may not make it home before I body tackle you."

"You aren't going to be body tackling anyone until after this baby is born. Take my advice, Abarai, you need to focus on the baby and worry about us later."

Renji sighed.

"I know you're right…but I love having sex with you. It's like dying and being sent straight to heaven…"

Byakuya didn't answer, but gave him a slower, more indulgent kiss.

"Now you're just plain teasing me…" Renji complained.

But the beautiful expression of contentment in his lover's dark eyes sent the words winging away and Renji stopped and wrapped his arms around the noble, burying his face in the black, sakura scented hair and breathing in deeply. Byakuya closed his eyes and returned the redhead's embrace. They stood for several long moments, holding each other and ignoring the heavy wind, the soft sounds of thunder and the light misty rain that was beginning to fall.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Darn!" said Renji in mock frustation, "That's the fourth time in a row you beat me! Where did you learn to play Go Fish like that anyway?"

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Akane said, shrugging.

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed practically on top of it. Akane squealed like a frightened foal and ducked under the redhead's arm. Another flash lit the windows and the next thunderclap rattled the building. Rain began to pour down, pounding on the roof and splattering onto the wooden walkway outside the open doors. Byakuya appeared in the doorway. His expression was calm, but Renji sensed his discomfort.

"There has been an alert issued," he said quietly, "I've sent the staff to their homes and Rukia has gone to stay at her division. We will need to go to the storm cellar."

Akane's eyes went wide.

"Is it going to break the buildings?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"Oh no," Byakuya assured her, "It is just a precaution. But we will all sleep in the storm cellar tonight, so we should bring anything we need to get through the night. You should go and collect Beautiful Bya and bring him."

"Okay!" Akane said and flash stepped out the door.

"Come Renji," Byakuya said, helping the redhead to his feet, "I'll walk you out first and…"

Lightning flashed again and the thunder cracked, drowning him out. The wind rose to a howl.

"Come, Renji," Byakuya said, his eyes still calm, but edged with tension.

He wrapped an arm around the redhead and started across the gardens.

"Daddy Bya!" called Akane.

Byakuya turned his head to look back at the girl.

"Stay there," he told her, "I will come back for you."

"Byakuya, look out!" cried Renji as a cracking sound broke across the yard and a large tree started to fall.

The redhead took hold of the noble and tried to flash step, but felt his power suddenly fall off.

"Bya!" he screamed as the tree fell toward them.

Byakuya pushed Renji out of the tree's path and dove to the ground with him, turning slightly to use his own body to break the redhead's fall. He let out a strangled cry as the tree crashed down nearly on top of them.

"Daddy Bya! Daddy Ren!" screamed Akane, dropping the cat and flash stepping forward, with the feline following close behind.

Renji turned and pushed himself onto his knees, one hand holding himself up, while the other wrapped around his midsection.

"Akane," he gasped as the girl ran towards him.

"Daddy Bya!" the girl screamed again, flash stepping to the noble and dropping onto her knees beside him.

Byakuya lay facedown and unmoving with the heavy branches of the downed tree locked around his body at the waist, trapping him beneath it.

"Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya!" screamed Akane, reaching out and touching his face.

"Akane," Renji gasped again, rain running down his face, "Don't move him. His back could be hurt. Go and get Zabimaru."

The girl flash stepped through the pouring rain, back to the house and into her fathers' bedroom. She ran to the sword stand and picked up the zanpakutou and carried it back through the rain to Renji. The redhead drew the weapon and focused. Slowly, red light rose around him and the two spirits appeared beside him.

"Oi, Renji," said the baboon spirit, "Are you in trouble again?"

"Guys," Renji hissed, clenching his teeth, "I don't have time for any crap. Byakuya's hurt. I need your help. My powers keep failing…because…"

He cringed as a sharp pain passed through his abdomen.

"We're on it," said Snake Boy, turning toward the tree with his sword.

"Hey!" Renji yelled, "Be careful! Don't cut him in half or anything."

"Baka!" said the spirit, shaking his head.

The spirit sent the jagged blade crashing into the tree. The downed tree shattered into splinters that exploded around the noble and fell to the wet ground. The zanpakutou spirit disappeared, leaving Renji alone with Akane and the unconscious noble. Brushing the rain soaked hair out of his face, Renji moved to Byakuya's side and touched his face gently, calling his name. The rain pelted down harder and small hailstones began to strike them and the ground all around them.

"Byakuya," he called desperately, "Bya, wake up, please. Come on, we're getting pummeled out here!"

"I think I remember telling someone he'd be better off in the healing center," Byakuya said, lifting his head.

"Daddy Bya!" Akane shrieked, throwing her arms around him.

Renji couldn't help but notice the expression of pain that crossed his face and the sluggishness with which he moved as he started to sit up. He reached around the noble and helped him to his feet. He wobbled slightly, then steadied. Renji urged him forward a step, but his legs collapsed beneath him and he dropped to the ground. He dragged himself back to his feet and held on to Renji as the three shinigamis and the cat made their way across the yard to the storm cellar. They opened the door and stepped inside, then locked the door securely behind them. Byakuya lit a small oil lamp and led them down a set of stone steps into the cellar.

The inside of the cellar was cool, dry and as nicely furnished as the rest of the manor. He watched as Byakuya moved to a small closet and pulled out a dry yukata for each of them. By turns, they entered the dressing area and got out of their wet clothes and settled down onto a large futon on the floor.

Akane dropped down onto the end of the futon, curling around her cat, yawning widely and closing her eyes. Renji watched until he was relatively sure she was asleep, then turned to the noble, who sat quietly next to him.

"You're bleeding," he said, noting the red stain on the back of Byakuya's yukata, "Let me see what I can do."

"You aren't supposed to be using your powers," Byakuya said, pulling away.

"Hey…I'll just use the first aid kit, okay? Sit still and let me look at it."

Byakuya sighed impatiently, but forced himself to sit quietly as Renji examined the angry red gashes on his back and hip.

"If my healing power was working, I could take care of these in a flash, but I can bandage them for now and you can get them healed in the morning. And don't even think you're getting out of it."

"Arigato, Renji," Byakuya said softly.

The redhead smiled and leaned over to kiss him lightly on the mouth. He turned his attention to the deep cuts and carefully bandaged each. By the time he had finished, his head throbbed dully from the heavy concentration and small, throbbing pains had returned to his abdomen. He dropped down onto his side and rubbed his stomach, trying to fall asleep.

Byakuya picked up an extra blanket and gingerly moved over to lay it over Akane, then returned to Renji and placed another blanket over him as well. He slipped beneath the blanket and curled around Renji, lowering one hand to wrap around his waist. Renji sighed and settled more firmly into the noble's arms.

"Are you having any pains now?" Byakuya asked.

"Just a little, minor throbbing," answered the redhead, "I'm okay, really. And thanks for pushing me out of the way of that tree. I could have been flattened. I'm just sorry that you got hurt."

"Nonsense," Byakuya chided him, "I'm fine. I just…forgot for a moment that I can't yet flash step and miscalculated because of it. I wasn't hurt badly."

"You forget that I saw the cuts on your back and hip…" Renji reminded him, "and there was a lot of bruising. You're gonna hurt tomorrow."

"Hmm…" said Byakuya, closing his eyes.

He tightened his hold on the redhead and drifted off to sleep.

Renji lay quietly in Byakuya's arms, trying to think calm thoughts, but his mind kept going back to seeing the tree coming down at him and the way Byakuya turned and pushed him clear…the look of concern in the pristine white features, the desperation in his touch. He hated thinking of Byakuya being hurt…even more so while the hormones raged in his body as he prepared to give birth. He wondered again what it would be like and how much it might hurt.

It set him to thinking about how Byakuya had been forced to bear Akane without any help from someone who knew how to help…without someone to hold him and encourage him. And when Akane was finally born, she was immediately taken away from him.

Tears rose in Renji's eyes and spilled out onto his pillow. It seemed that he couldn't think about what Byakuya had been through without crying…even though Aizen was dead and months had passed.

He pushed the thoughts away and focused on the dull pounding of the rain outside the storm cellar and the occasional rumbles of thunder as the storm continued. The sound lulled him nearly to sleep, but every time he began to drift off, small pulses of pain woke him. He rubbed his stomach and shifted uncomfortably. Then suddenly, a sharp twinge made him gasp and stiffen.

"What is it?" Byakuya asked, instantly coming awake.

"I don't know," Renji moaned softly, "It was a…a feeling like something squeezing my insides. Ugh, I don't feel so good."

Byakuya pushed himself onto his knees and eased the redhead onto his back.

"I can't check your progress or do anything to be sure," he said softly, "but it sounds to me as though you are going to have this baby tonight…here, Renji."

"B-but…the storm…and…and…Byakuya, I don't think…"

He caught his breath sharply as another twinge of pain gripped him. Sweat broke out on his forehead.

"B-bya…Bya, I'm not ready for this! Not here…not like this…" Renji moaned.

Byakuya leaned over him and took his face in both hands.

"You are going to be fine Renji," Byakuya said firmly, "I want you to listen to me. I am not letting anything happen to you or our baby. Trust me. Everything is going to be okay."


	3. Breathless

**Chapter 3: Breathless**

"Oh…okay, m-maybe you and I d-differ a bit in what me mean when we say…okay…" Renji panted, "Maybe to you…a guy can f-feel like he's splitting in half…and…be fine, you know. B-but my definition of 'okay' means…like…not splitting in half…"

"You're not splitting in half," Byakuya said calmly, "You're giving birth. And by 'okay,' I mean it won't be so bad…and you won't be permanently damaged. Breathe, Renji."

"Shit, that's easy for you to say!" complained Renji, gasping softly, "You don't have a damned elephant sitting on your chest!"

"I beg your pardon," Byakuya said, looking offended, "I am leaning, not sitting on you…and my weight isn't pushing down…and last I checked, I bore no resemblance to an elephant."

"Ugh, B-bya, I didn't mean you…oh…ah…just my insides feel like a boa constrictor got a hold of 'em, you know?"

"First elephants and now snakes. Are you going delusional?" Byakuya asked, his lips almost smiling.

"No, you ass," Renji panted, "I'm having a baby. "

"I think I'd rather be mistaken for an elephant _or_ a snake…rather than an ass, Renji," Byakuya said dryly.

He shifted the pillows under the redhead and Renji sighed with relief.

"Oh…oh kami, thanks…that's better."

Byakuya's hand found his and his eyes locked warmly on Renji's.

"Daddy Bya, is every thing okay?" Akane asked in a frightened voice.

Byakuya turned to give her a reassuring smile.

"Everything is fine, Akane," he said in a calm voice, "Renji is going to have our baby now. Why don't you come and help him a bit."

Akane's eyes widened and she dashed to Renji's other side and sat down. She looked up at Byakuya questioningly.

"Is it going to be like when Beautiful Bya was born?" she asked, "I got to see and it was kind of…"

"It won't be like that," Byakuya explained, "We are shinigamis, so it works a bit differently. Put your hand here," he said, guiding the girl's hand to a place just below the redhead's navel. Akane stared.

"Doesn't he have to even dress in a hospital gown or something?"

"No, he can stay in his yukata. The baby's reiatsu will pass through it and will shape itself into your little brother."

"Did you guys forget I'm here," huffed Renji, "I…I could use some…cool air or something…"

"Just a moment, I'll get a fan," Byakuya offered, "Akane, flow a bit of reiatsu into his stomach, right there."

Byakuya set up a small fan and turned it to blow air onto the sweaty redhead's face. Renji sighed with relief.

"Thanks…"

"You are welcome, Renji," Byakuya said, taking his place at his lover's side again, "Do you feel the baby's reiatsu, Akane?"

"Yes," the girl said, her smile widening, "It's right here!"

"Good," Byakuya said quietly, "I want you to check that same place every few minutes. We have to make sure that the reiatsu remains strong throughout the birth. So tell me if you feel it get any weaker."

"Okay," the girl said, leaning over Renji and sending her reiatsu into him again.

"I…feel kinda like…like I'm going to throw up," Renji moaned.

Byakuya washed the sweat from his face with a cool, wet cloth.

"Breathe in slowly, counting to eight and out again for eight seconds. Akane and I will breathe with you."

Renji's eyes focused on the noble and the three breathed together slowly…in and out. After a few minutes, Renji nodded his approval.

"Ah…that's better. I was sure I was going to…"

"Well, you still might, but for now we seem to have avoided it. How do you feel?"

"Sorta like when I was lying on the ground after Ichigo beat the hell out of me, but I'll live."

"Good…you are doing well."

Renji yawned.

"Is it…okay if I fall asleep for a bit? I'm feeling sleepy…"

Byakuya brushed his eyes closed.

"I think sleep would be good. Akane and I will be here."

Renji yawned again and turned onto his side and curled around a pillow.

"Is the baby's reiatsu still strong?" Byakuya asked Akane.

"Yes, it's strong," she said, her mouth opening into a wide yawn.

"Why don't you get some sleep as well? It could be a long night."

"I don't feel much like sleeping," the girl replied, moving closer to Byakuya and leaning against his side as he sat next to Renji, "Can you tell me a story about you and Daddy Ren?"

"A story about us?" Byakuya asked, his eyebrow rising curiously, "I imagine I could think of a story to tell you."

He blinked slowly, listening to the sound of the rain pounding against the cellar door.

"Hmm, I think I have one. There was one time that Renji and I…"

"OW!" yelled Renji, sitting up suddenly and clenching his midsection, "Augh…I…ugh, I feel…awful."

Byakuya pulled Renji into his arms and moved him so that his back rested against the noble's chest and Byakuya's head rested gently on his shoulder. Byakuya's hands made slow circles on his abdomen, and the noble spoke softly in his ear.

"Just breathe with me like you did before," he said softly, "Akane, check the baby's reiatsu again."

The girl leaned over Renji, extending her hands and letting her reiatsu touch the baby's.

"It's just as strong as before," she assured them.

"Good."

He slipped a hand into Renji's as the redhead groaned and shivered.

"I'm k-kinda c-cold," he said, his teeth chattering loudly.

Akane went back to where she had been sleeping and brought a blanket.

"If you place your hands on it, you can use your reiatsu to warm it," Byakuya told Akane.

He brushed his cheek against Renji's.

"It's normal for your body temperature and reiatsu to fluctuate during the birth," Byakuya explained, "That's good, Akane. Now give him the blanket."

Renji moaned with relief as the girl wrapped the warmed blanket around him.

"Are you comfortable now?" asked Byakuya.

"If by comfortable, you mean 'warm enough' yeah, but my stomach hurts really bad…like when I ate those bad candies that Rukia brought back from the living world!"

"The sweets were fine," Byakuya corrected him, "You simply overindulged in them."

"Stupid me," Renji groaned.

"You're not stupid," Byakuya said firmly, "Unwise, willful and unrestrained at times, but never stupid."

Akane giggled.

"You two are funny!"

"Yeah," Renji groaned, "I'm a real hoot when I feel like my stomach is about to explode…"

"Your stomach and everything else will be fine, Abarai."

"There you go again with your 'It will be fine,'" complained the redhead, "Well I'm telling you…I'm not fucking fine! I feel like hell and I'd really appreciate it if you would shut up!"

"Is it normal for him to say bad words like that while he's having a baby too?" asked Akane.

"NORMAL? What the hell are you talking about NORMAL! This is not fucking NORMAL! I'm a guy having a baby! What damned part of any of that is normal?" raged Renji.

"Yes," Byakuya said quietly, "sometimes there are mood swings during labor."

"MOOD SWINGS?" yelled Renji, "I'll show you mood swings!"

"You needn't shout," Byakuya said calmly, "Akane and I are close enough to hear you when you speak normally."

"Would you just shut up and leave me alone?" groaned the redhead, "I changed my mind. You can do this, right? You can just…"

Byakuya washed his face with the wet cloth and kissed his cheek.

"Sorry, it's too late to change places. My body is not suitable for childbirth."  
"Oh…and mine is?" Renji said sarcastically, "I think that of the two of us, you're prettier. That makes you more like a mother…and OW!"

"Slow down your breathing, Renji," Byakuya said, trying not to smile, "And don't say things like that."

"You're pretty too!" Akane said, smiling, "You are just different kinds of pretty."

"Augh…I'm not pretty! I'm panting like a dog…and sweating all over…and…and I think I'm gonna pass out."

"Maybe that would be a good thing," said Akane innocently, "You wouldn't hurt so much."

Byakuya smirked.

"We're almost there, Renji. Try to breathe with me."

"No, I'm not gonna smile and play nice and breathe with you! I don't even like you, right now! This is all your fault! I…shouldn't even be doing this…augh…I think I'm…"

"Shh," Byakuya said softly, kissing his throat beneath his ear, "Just stay calm. Too much excitement isn't good for the baby."

"I think too much excitement isn't good for me…" Renji groaned, "Bya…you lied to me. You said it wouldn't be too bad. Well…I'm telling you, this really sucks!"

"Akane," Byakuya said quietly, "Check the baby's reiatsu again."

The girl leaned over Renji, extending her hands and focusing.

"It's not just as strong…I think it's stronger…and it feels like it's moving."

"Oh kami, Bya…just knock me out or something, because I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"Nonsense, watch…and breathe or you will pass out, Renji."

Renji sucked in a slow breath, but released it in a yelp of pain as light flared around his abdomen and the baby's reiatsu began to emerge.

"Shit…that's just…just…Bya, is that him?"

Byakuya's expression warmed into a full smile.

"Yes…that's our baby boy," he said as the sphere of light rose out of Renji's abdomen and floated in the air for a moment.

Byakuya lifted Renji so they were sitting together, then all three watched as the reiatsu sphere hovered and then sank down into Renji's arms. White light flared brightly around them and as it faded and their eyes grew able to see again, Akane gasped softly with joy. Renji's eyes widened and he stared at the tiny baby boy, then looked up at Byakuya. His eyes filled with tears as the boy gave a high-pitched squeal and started to cry.

"Bya," Renji whispered, staring, "He looks so much like you! I was hoping he would, because Akane looks more like me…but he's…he's so much like you!"

Akane moved away for a moment, then returned with a small warmed blanket that Renji took and wrapped around the baby boy. He stared down into the wide gray eyes in wonder.

"Are you in any pain?" Byakuya asked.

"Ask me when I come back down to earth…" Renji sighed, "because right now, I can't feel a thing."

"Oh," chuckled Byakuya, "you will later."

"Are we going to name him?" asked Akane.

Byakuya's eyebrow arched curiously.

"Why? Do you have a suggestion?"

"Maybe," she said, tilting her head, "we could call him Kano."

"After the water god?" queried Byakuya, smiling.

"Well," said Renji, "it makes sense, considering the storm.

"Or we could call him Arashi, because he was born during a storm…or Raiden."

"After the god of thunder," said Renji, grinning at Byakuya, "See, I remembered."

"Yes," laughed Byakuya, "He is the god of thunder."

"So which one?" asked Akane.

Byakuya and Renji looked at each other and shrugged.

"Okay, I have an idea," said Akane, "Write the names down on three pieces of paper and fold them up, them, then hold them in front of him and whichever he touches with his hand…that will be his name."

Byakuya nodded and took three small slips of paper, then carefully wrote a name on each and folded them. He handed them to Akane, who mixed them in her hands, then held them out in front of the baby boy. The baby's dark eyes blinked and he reached out with his hand. Watching carefully, Akane retrieved the slip of paper his fingertips touched first. She opened it and looked up at Byakuya and Renji.

"Raiden," she said, looking down into the boy's eyes, "You are my little brother, Kuchiki Raiden!"


	4. Frozen Moment

**Chapter 4: Frozen Moment**

"Your baby is in perfect health, Abarai Renji," Unohana taichou said, smiling, "And you seem to have come through the experience none the worse for wear."

"Thanks to Byakuya," Renji said, his eyes seeking hers questioningly, "Look, did he get checked out? That tree cut him up pretty badly and he wouldn't admit it, but I know his back was hurting…"

"Kuchiki taichou has been fully examined and what pain there was has been relieved. He will need to take it easy for a few days, but he will be fine," the healer assured him, "He was very fortunate."

Her expression turned somber.

"There is something I will tell you regarding Kuchiki taichou's condition that I think you should know. I have removed the seal on his powers, so that he can begin to channel reiatsu again."

"That's great!" Renji said happily, then seeing her expression, his smile faded, "Unohana taichou, what's wrong?"

The healer sighed.

"It may be nothing. He may begin to gather and channel spirit energy soon, but…"

"But what?" Renji asked worriedly.

"But even when I removed the seal, Kuchiki taichou was unable to either sense or channel any reiatsu."

"Well, he's had his powers sealed away for like six months! Wouldn't that mean that this would be normal?"

The healer shook her head.

"Even with the seal just removed, there should have been some response in his repaired spirit centers. There was no response to touches of other reiatsu…none at all."

"Then…there has to be something you can do, right?" Renji asked desperately, "Another surgery? Maybe Orihime can come back and…"

"Orihime did as much as she could, I'm afraid. This is going to have to happen on its own, Abarai fukutaichou. There isn't anything more that we can do. We will wait and give him time to see if the spirit centers awaken…but if they don't awaken soon…then we must assume they will not."

Renji's eyes went wide.

"What? What happens then?"

Unohana lowered her eyes.

"A shinigami who has permanently lost his powers cannot remain in Soul Society. Byakuya would be given a human identity and be fitted with a permanent gigai. That is in accordance with our laws. And the laws say that, because he cannot survive for more than twelve months here without use of his powers. The only reason he has come this far is because when we performed his surgery, we implanted a reiatsu regulator to make sure he could handle the minimum level of reiatsu that occurs in Soul Society. That implant may only be worn for twelve months and then the soul will build a tolerance and it will not protect him anymore. Byakuya's powers must return within the next six months or he will have to leave Soul Society permanently."

Renji sighed and closed his eyes.

"He knows?"

"He does," Unohana confirmed, "I spoke to him at length while you and Raiden were being examined. He said that he needed some time to himself. I hope you don't mind…I had him take Raiden and go home. I thought it would be good for him to have some time to process what is happening. He seemed to agree that it would be best."

Renji nodded.

"He's like that. It's not that he won't come to me…it's just…he needs to get things clear in his mind…think them through before talking about it. It's good that you sent Raiden with him. It will give him something to bolster his spirits. I mean, Byakuya is the kind who will look at what he has to lose and find the strength to fight harder. I know he'll look at our little boy and find his powers again."

"I'm sure you are right, Abarai fukutaichou. I want you to give him the time he needs to process what is happening…and then just be there for him. He will need you to keep his spirits up while he works his way through this."

"Hai," Renji said, nodding, "Unohana taichou, is there anything else I need to do before I go home?"

"Actually, it would be good if you stop at the front desk and schedule a follow up appointment for yourself and Raiden. We will want to see the two of you in one week."

Renji took his leave of the healer and walked out to the front desk. As he waited to schedule the appointment, his mind strayed to the solemn noble, who was probably already at home, walking up to the waterfall and talking to Raiden to work through his emotions.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Nii-sama, you're home already?" Rukia said as Byakuya entered the house.

She stepped closer and Byakuya lifted the infant into her arms. Rukia stared down at the little boy, smiling.

"Hello, little one," she said softly, "I am your Aunt Rukia. I am very pleased to meet you."

The infant gurgled softly and squealed.

"He's beautiful, Nii-sama," she said, lifting her eyes to his.

Byakuya said nothing, but smiled back at her.

"Where is Renji?" Rukia asked, handing the baby back to him.

"He is still at the healing center," Byakuya said, leaning forward to kiss Raiden's forehead.

The infant cooed softly.

"Is everything all right with him, Nii-sama?" Rukia said, looking worried, "I'm surprised you left…"

"Renji is fine," Byakuya assured her, "or I would be at his side."

"And how about you?" Rukia asked, "Akane told me that you were injured when the tree fell. Are you all right?"

Byakuya gave her a brief smile of gratitude.

"I am fine," he said quietly, "I merely require rest…and time to heal. I was not seriously injured."

They were quiet for a moment.

"Rukia, if you have no commitments for a time, I would like you to stay with Akane. I am going for a short walk…up to the waterfall. Renji will be along soon. You may tell him where I've gone when he arrives."

"I will, Nii-sama. I wanted to talk to Akane some more anyway. She hasn't finished telling me about Raiden's birth."

"Ah, arigato, Rukia. I hope you two enjoy your discussion."

"We will, Nii-sama. And I will send Renji as soon as he gets back."

Byakuya nodded, then turned in the direction of the gardens. He walked through them slowly, savoring the fresh wet scent and noting that despite the tree falling, the garden had managed to come through the storm relatively unscathed. He shifted Raiden in the front sling so that the infant's eyes were looking up at him and talked to him in a soft voice as they made their way down the garden trail.

He stopped at the patio table, noting that tea was being served and paused for a moment to sit in the shade and drink some of the tea, before rising again and turning toward the back gate. He passed through the gate and out onto the forest trail, his soft voice soothing the baby to sleep. When Raiden had fallen asleep, he fell silent, listening to the sound of his feet on the path and the soft breeze moving through the trees.

After twelve surgeries in six months, I still wield no power…I sense nothing…I don't know what I'll do if I have to leave this place…I can't ask Renji and our children to leave Soul Society…our home…everything. I can't.

He sighed softly, watching the sakura petals swirl on the breezes around him. In his mind, he saw the swirling petals of his zanpakutou and his heart clutched at the thought of losing his connection with his zanpakutou's spirit.

I can't sense him either. And after what we've been through, I know he isn't in top form, any more than I am. I need to reach him…

"Senbonzakura…" he whispered.

The wind swished oddly through the trees and Byakuya felt a chill pass through him. He moved off of the forest path and emerged at the clearing atop the waterfall. Birds chirped merrily in the trees and except for a few fallen branches and the fresh scent in the air, one wouldn't, Byakuya thought, have been able to tell that there had been a storm. He closed his eyes and breathed in the sweetness of the air, letting it pass out of him again in a long, slow exhale. The simple act of breathing, he found, could profoundly change the emotions clouding the heart. After several deep, slow breaths, he felt the worry leaving him and the gradual return of his determination. He and Renji had been through many difficulties together…and he wasn't going to fail in the regaining of his powers. He was just going to have to push himself with the same stubbornness and dedication that had always driven him.

It had always proven to be enough before…

He wanted to think that this time wouldn't be any different, so he resolved to make himself believe it would be so. And with Renji and the children to motivate him. He knew he would find what he needed to regain his powers.

It would just take time…And now that Aizen Sousuke was out of his life, he would have that time. He looked down at Raiden's peaceful expression and found himself smiling. His smile widened as his healing spirit centers stirred softly and he felt an approaching reiatsu. He couldn't yet sense whose it was, but had been expecting Renji. He turned with Renji's name rising onto his lips. The sun flashed into his eyes for a moment, obscuring the approaching shinigami. A moment later, Byakuya's eyes widened in distress and he backed toward the edge of the cliff next to the waterfall, his breath catching in his chest.

The man who approached him stopped and looked down at the baby he carried.

"What a lovely little boy you have…Byakuya."

"Aizen," Byakuya whispered, taking another step back.

"Byakuya," the other said reprovingly, "I think you and I have moved beyond such distant references. Sousuke…Remember…I told you to call me Sousuke."

"I thought that…"

"Oh yes…you thought that you killed me. You did injure me quite seriously. I really must congratulate you," Aizen said, stepping forward.

Byakuya stepped closer to the edge his hands wrapping protectively around Raiden. The infant opened his eyes and began to cry.

"Be careful, Byakuya," Aizen said quietly, "I wouldn't want you to fall…without having the power to flash step, that is…"

He stepped closer, closing in on the noble.

"I can sense it, you know…that you have lost your shinigami powers. I actually sensed it some time ago. I know you would be useless in any plan I have."

"Then why have you come for me?" Byakuya asked, feeling the edge of the cliff under his heels, "Are you looking for revenge?"

Aizen smiled.

"I will _take_ revenge, Byakuya," he said softly, "but the truth is…I didn't come here for _you_."

His eyes lowered and came to rest on the baby in the noble's arms.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Damn! I thought I would never get out of there!" Renji sighed in frustration, flash stepping out of the healing center and turning toward Kuchiki Manor.

His heart tugging painfully in his chest, he forced himself to flash step all of the way home, ignoring the shouts of congratulations from his friends as he passed by them. An odd sense of urgency had settled over him and he needed to get home quickly. The streets passed by in a blur of colors and the sounds echoed strangely in his head. He reached out to Byakuya with his mind and felt the weak brush of his thoughts, but nothing unusual. He tried seeing through the noble's eyes, and saw a brief flash of sakura trees and the forest trail.

It didn't seem that anything was wrong, but Renji listened to his heart. He flash stepped through the manor entry and across the gardens, ignoring Rukia's call. He dashed through the gate and flash stepped down the forest trail.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What is his name, Bya?" Aizen asked, reaching out to touch the infant.

"Stay back, Aizen!" Byakuya warned him, "Don't come any closer."

"Or what?" Aizen said, still smiling, "What will you do, Bya? Will you throw yourself and your son off of this cliff rather than simply speak to me."

"I know you didn't come here to talk."

"No," Aizen said, gazing closely at the infant, "I didn't come to talk. I did come to take you back to Las Noches briefly…and then you and I will journey to the spirit dimension. You see…I have found a way in…and I want you with me when I go there to kill the spirit king. I want you at my side to rule with me."

"You said that I was useless…that my powers are too weak."

Aizen nodded.

"I did say that…but that doesn't change one simple fact. I want you, Bya. I remember the way it feels to make love with you, to feel my body wrap around yours, to smell your sweet scent and to bury myself in you…and I want that. And we can have lots of children. I've been watching you with Akane. You truly do love them, I can see. So we will have many children for you to love. But we must go now…before Abarai Renji returns. I would rather he didn't know what we are about."

"I'm not going with you…and neither is my son!" Byakuya said, gathering himself.

"Do not be a fool, Byakuya. You do have a small amount of power emanating from you now, but it won't be enough. Come…we will be in the spirit dimension before you know it…and everything will be fine. Come, Byakuya," he said, reaching for the noble.

Byakuya felt a sudden surge of power and threw himself off the cliff.


	5. Diablo's Key

**Chapter 5: Diablo's Key**

Byakuya felt Aizen's spiritual pressure begin to rise as his feet managed to find all five touch points on the way down the cliff face. He whistled sharply as he fell and landed roughly in the grass, prompting a loud objection by Raiden. He flash stepped into the meadow, not daring to look back. Approaching hoofbeats sounded and Ikazuchi raced towards him. He felt Aizen closing in and the spiritual pressure rose alarmingly. Ikazuchi slowed and turned as Byakuya leapt onto his back. The horse reared and turned away from the waterfall, racing across the meadow and heading for the crags.

If I can reach the crags, my spiritual pressure is still low enough that I can conceal myself. But…he may sense Raiden. If he touched him, he would be able to sense him quickly, but I don't think he managed to touch him before we got away.

Ikazuchi screamed as the spiritual pressure rose and flared dangerously around them. Byakuya risked a glance behind them and could see no sign of Aizen. But he had to be close. His spiritual pressure raged around them now.

All at once, Aizen flash stepped into view ahead of them. As Byakuya forced the horse into a hard turn, he heard the skeletal snake rise up somewhere near the waterfall.

"Renji!" Byakuya gasped, "Thank kami!"

He sent Ikazuchi wheeling in that direction and forced him into a dead run. They were closing in on the skeletal snake, when a sudden movement ahead of them startled the noble and spooked the horse. Ikazuchi reared and screamed as Aizen appeared in front of them and slashed at the stallion. Blood exploded out of the beast's proud chest and as he came down, his legs buckled and he sank to the ground.

Aizen's arm wrapped around Byakuya as the stallion fell, and he quickly sealed the noble's spirit energy away. He slashed at the sky, opening a garganta and dragged Byakuya through.

"Byakuya!" Renji screamed as the garganta closed behind them.

He sent the skeletal snake winging toward the garganta, attempting to lodge it in the corner, so that he could force his way through the garganta as well. But the closing garganta snapped shut too quickly and Abarai Renji was left alone in the field staring down at Byakuya's dead spirit steed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen Sousuke flash stepped through the courtyard and into Las Noches, dragging Byakuya along with him.

"Stop struggling," he ordered his captive, "You could hurt your child."

"You're going to hurt him," Byakuya gasped, still fighting the other's hold on him, "I can feel it! Aizen, let us go! Stop this!"

"It is too late for that, Byakuya," he said, forcing the noble into the fortress and turning him toward the laboratory, "I have something I must do…and your son is going to help me."

"No!" Byakuya hissed, trying to pull away, "No…stop…Aizen!"

The leader of the hollows pushed the noble through the door into the laboratory and snapped a handcuff around his wrist. He forced the struggling noble against the wall and raised his spiritual pressure until Byakuya cried out in pain and dropped to his knees. He fastened the cuff securely to the wall. Aizen took Raiden from the sling and lifted him into his arms, ignoring Byakuya's rising cries. He moved to a small table and set the baby down, pausing to turn so that he could see the noble as he worked.

"Damn you, Aizen, Let me go! Don't hurt him! Don't!"

"Watch, Byakuya," said Aizen calmly, "Your child is about to do something amazing. He is about to do what it would have taken me millions of souls to create…If my plans had worked before, I would have gained access to the king's key. Your son will not give me the king's key I sought, but another that will also allow me to enter the spirit dimension."

"Stop! Sousuke, please! I will do whatever you say, but don't hurt him!"

"It won't hurt. He won't feel anything. His reiatsu will simply be transformed…into Diablo's key."

Byakuya's face paled.

"No…" he whispered in horror, "Sousuke, no…not that…not Raiden…please…don't…"

"I am sorry, Byakuya," Aizen said emotionlessly, "I did try other means, but you stopped me, necessitating this…Diablo's key…forged by the binding of royal blood with the reiatsu of the old hollow god, Diablo."

"But…Raiden's blood is not royal! You have gone mad, Sousuke! Stop! Stop now!"

He threw his body weight against the restraint at his wrist.

"You know…" said Aizen, "I wonder at this, myself. Here I thought that you were the useful one, but with the weak powers you wield now, you are useless. Abarai Renji, though, took me by surprise, Bya. As I recovered from my injuries, I looked closely at all of my information and I found an anomaly. You see, no royal is ever supposed to allow a person outside the spirit dimension to give birth to one of their blood. To do so is a crime…but in Abarai Renji's case, someone broke the rules. One of his parents had royal blood…enough to be detected in the samples I had from Akane. I needed a baby to use to make Diablo's key and by the time I discovered Renji's royal connection, Akane was too old. So I waited until this child was born and came for him instead…and now you see what you caused by stopping my plans."

His palms extended over the infant and red power flared around them.

Byakuya screamed in fury and Aizen turned in surprise as the sound rose into a whirlwind of power. The seal holding the noble's powers back shattered under the force of his desperation and Byakuya tore himself away from the restraint, blood exploding around his left hand as he tore himself free. Somehow, Senbonzakura appeared in his hand and he flash stepped forward swinging his weapon at Aizen. Aizen left the red light pulsing around Raiden and turned, his own zanpakutou appearing in his hand. Senbonzakura crashed heavily into Kyoka Suigetsu and Byakuya sent a blast of kido at his captor. Aizen blocked the kido spell and blocked the sword slashes, backing away from the desperate noble.

"It's too late, Byakuya," Aizen said quietly, "You cannot save him."

And before the noble's disbelieving eyes, Raiden shimmered under the red light and slowly disappeared.

"No!" screamed Byakuya, throwing his weight against Aizens and trying to reach the examination table.

"He's gone, Byakuya," Aizen said solemnly, "Now stop fighting me, or you will force me to…"

Byakuya screamed one final time, releasing Senbonzakura in a hail of uncontrolled petal blades that slashed wildly at both of them, He sent a huge blast of kido and slashed downward with his blade, his eyes widening with shock as Aizen stepped forward and drove Kyoka Suigetsu through his unprotected chest. He pitched forward, falling against Aizen. Senbonzakura dropped from his nerveless hand and his body slumped against Aizen's.

Aizen pulled his weapon free of the noble's shocked body and slid to the floor with him, pulling him close. Blood ran from his chest and mouth and he gasped softly for breath against Aizen's shoulder.

"How…could you?" Byakuya managed in a whispered sob.

Aizen eased him down onto his back, leaning over him and extending his hands over the gaping chest wound. Healing light flared around his hands.

"Raiden…" sobbed Byakuya.

"It's over, Bya. The boy is gone. But I don't wish for you to die. Be still now, so I can heal you."

He stared down at the wound, then back at Byakuya's tormented features, healing light flowing out of his hands and into the injured noble's body. He leaned over Byakuya, his brow furrowed in deep concentration, trying to close the wound, but watching in dismay as the noble's blood continued to flow out of the wound and nothing he tried could stop it. Finally, his eyes darkened in realization and he withdrew his hands. His eyes intense, he pulled the noble into his arms and held him close.

"You shouldn't have forced me to do this. The strain on your newly powered spirit centers was too much…Bya…I can't heal you. You are…"

He brushed the tears from Byakuya's eyes.

"I'm sorry…but I had no choices left. Babies with royal blood in them are hard to find."

"Damn you, Sousuke…how could you? How…could you?" Byakuya moaned.

"Shh…Bya…" he said, resting his face against the noble's.

"S-sousuke…" Byakuya managed in a choked voice.

"What is it?" Aizen asked softly.

"I…I need…you to do something…as…a final request," the noble said in a trembling voice.

Aizen gazed at him for a moment, then nodded silently.

"I need you to…let Renji and Akane be. You…have stolen away half of our family. Renji…will need…Akane. Let them…be. Don't…do anything…to them. Promise me…"

Aizen curled his hand around the noble's face.

"I will promise you that Renji and Akane will not be harmed. I will put them under my protection…and nothing bad will happen to them."

"N-no…j-just…leave them…be…"

"Shh, quiet now, Bya. You are making this worse than it has to be. Understand that Renji having royal blood changes things. He won't be safe remaining in the Seireitei with that fact known. I will take care of Abarai Renji and Akane personally. I will not allow any harm to come to them. Rest easy"

He paused, resting his face against Byakuya's and closing his eyes.

"I have to leave you now. I will see that you have enough life left in you so that you can say good-bye to Renji. Understand…I had no desire to kill you. You forced my hand and I had no choice…"

He kissed the noble on a soft brow and eased him to the floor. He brushed the dark eyes closed, then sent a small shock of kido into him, forcing him into a deep sleep.

"This will ensure that you get to say your good-byes."

He rose and stepped back, gazing down one last time at the dying noble at his feet.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping past him to retrieve Diablo's key, "I'm truly sorry. I would have compensated you with life in the spirit dimension…with more children to comfort you after this loss. But you chose this path, Kuchiki Byakuya…and now it is lined with your very own blood."

He knelt one more time at Byakuya's side, bending to kiss the pale, blood-spattered lips. His ruined breast barely moved and his breaths came in short gasps.

"Good-bye, Byakuya…" he whispered.

Slowly, he rose, turned and flash stepped away.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji flash stepped into Urahara's shop and looked around frantically.

"Hey, Renji," Kisuke greeted him, "What the matter? They run out of food at Kuchiki Manor…or did Byakuya…"

"Shut up and listen!" Renji yelled, "Aizen has Byakuya and our baby! He's gone to Las Noches and taken them! I need you to open a garganta and get me there now!"

"Whoa…hold up a minute…He has Byakuya?"

"Who has Byakuya?" said Yoruichi from the doorway as she walked into the room with Ichigo.

"Aizen Sousuke! He showed up at the manor out of nowhere!"

"But…didn't Byakuya kill him? Isn't that why we had to put him back together?" Kisuke asked.

"We thought we did, but hell, it wouldn't be the first time that bastard had defied death! We al thought he was dead when we rescued Byakuya from Las Noches, too…and he wasn't dead then. He's not dead now, either. I saw him with my own eyes. I saw him take Byakuya and open the garganta. Now, I need to get to them fast. There was something fucking wrong about the way he took them like that and I need to get to them fast."

"We'll leave now," Kisuke said, "but we're going to need to gather ourselves and use some caution."

"We?" asked Renji, gazing at the others.

"Yes," said Yoruichi, "He said we."

""We're not going to let that son of a bitch get away with this," Ichigo said firmly.

Renji felt tears in his eyes, but blinked them away.

"I will listen to your advice and move with caution…but we have to hurry. I feel it. Something really bad is going to happen…"

"Renji," said Kisuke in a low voice, "are you sure you're up to going? You just gave birth…"

"I don't give a damn, Kisuke. Byakuya and Raiden are everything to me. I will not lose either one of them. I can't lose them. My hands are tied. I'm doing this."

Kisuke nodded.

"Then come on."

The four flash stepped down into the underground training room and Kisuke quickly opened the garganta.

"I'm lucky this time," he said, smiling, "Soutaichou gave me a pass to travel to Soul Society because of Byakuya's condition, so I can go along. Just…stay together…and be careful. We don't know what we're going to find…just that whatever we find, it will be dangerous. Be ready for anything."

"Right!" the other three agreed, turning to follow him.

The four flash stepped into the garganta and raced as one towards Las Noches. As intent as they were on their mission, they failed to hear or sense the code red alert from the Seireitei.

Intruder alert…Intruder alert…There has been a breach of the spirit dimension…The royal guard and royal family are under attack…All squads report to the dimension wall…All squads report to the dimension wall!

**(A/N**Please don't despise Spunky for the cliffie here! I'm writing at top speed! I will post as soon as I finish. Thanks so much for reading. I really appreciate the enthusiasm!)**


	6. Unbound

**Chapter 6: Unbound**

The rescue party touched down in the dunes just outside Las Noches and concealed themselves among a cluster of rocks. They gazed down at the fortress, scanning with eyes and sensing with reiatsu. Kisuke's eyes darkened and he frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, that's not right…no, not right at all. Yoruichi…you remember this place ever looking so deserted?" he asked.

Yoruichi reached out with her senses, her eyes mirroring his. She shook her head.

"No…There are no ranking hollows here…and no Aizen, Gin or Tousen either."

"What do you make of that?" he asked rhetorically, "Because, it seems to me that the only thing that would empty Las Noches of its strongest and best like this…would be not just a major attack…but Aizen's endgame."

Kisuke's eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"I think he took Byakuya and Raiden because they were somehow connected to a way to get into the spirit dimension to attack the royal family. This is all kinds of not good. And Renji," he said, turning to look at the redhead, "I sense a very weak touch of Byakuya's reiatsu. He's in here somewhere."

The four were silent for a moment.

"We have to assume," said Kisuke finally, "that Aizen's plan, whatever it was, succeeded and that an attack on the royal famiy is either about to begin, or may have begun. And that means that, whatever our concerns about Byakuya and Raiden, we also have to concern ourselves with the fate of the royal family."

"Damn you!" shouted Renji, "I'm not abandoning Byakuya and Raiden!"

"Kisuke wasn't suggesting that you should, Renji," Yoruichi said bracingly, "but we are going to have to split up and Kisuke and I must do what we can to provide protection for the royal family."

"Now you know Byakuya is in there," Kisuke went on, "You and Ichigo can go in and rescue him. He should be able to help you find Raiden, then you can join us in protecting the royal family."

Renji's reiatsu flared red around his body, but he nodded in acquiescence. Kisuke turned to Yoruichi.

"You battle ready?" he asked, an unusually serious look on his face.

"As always," she replied, turning with him and flash stepping away.

Renji watched them disappear, then turned to Ichigo.

"Thank you, Ichigo," he said quietly, "Thank you for helping me."

"Come on," said the substitute shinigami, resting a hand on the redhead's shoulder, "Let's find Byakuya and get him out of here."

They flash stepped down from the rocks and into the fortress courtyard, surprised at finding it completely unguarded.

"Pretty much everyone must be in on the attack," Ichigo commented.

"Yeah," agreed Renji, "That and they're not coming back here…whether they take the spirit king down or get annihilated in the process. But I still sense some hollows in the area. We need to watch our step. This is still Hueco Mundo…still plenty dangerous."

Renji led the way to the large double doors at the fortress entrance and found them standing open. A chill crept into his heart at finding the fortress so open and empty…as though they were simply being allowed in…as though Aizen had intended for them to enter without challenge.

"Keep your guard up," he muttered, stepping forward, "There's something really weird about this…"

"I've got your back," Ichigo said bracingly, his eyes turning in sweeping glances, carefully observing the area around them.

"Yeah…you haven't seen his shikai…so if there is an illusion, you will know, but I might not."

"I'm on it," Ichigo said, continuing to scan the area around them as they advanced.

Renji honed in on the weak pulse of reiatsu that Kisuke had sensed and followed it down the long hallways and into the center of the fortress. Sweat broke out on his forehead and a dark chill settled beneath his skin. He followed the reiatsu trail through an open doorway and felt his heart shatter.

"Bya…" he whispered, white-faced.

Byakuya's bloodied body lay near the center of the room next to an unsheathed Senbonzakura. Renji flash stepped to his side and knelt, the noble's blood seeping into his shihakushou and touching his skin, leaving him feeling weak and shaky. He leaned over the Byakuya, healing light flaring around his hands. His breath caught and released in a sob as he caught sight of a mangled, pale hand, half hidden in the folds of his shihakushou.

"Looks likes Aizen had him restrained over here," Ichigo said in a soft, stricken voice, "How he found the strength to pull free…"

"He was…" Renji choked on the words and bit back a sob, "trying to protect Raiden. He practically tore his hand off trying to protect our son."

He looked back down at the deep wound in the noble's chest and made a soft sound of dismay.

"It's not…healing…Ichigo."

Ichigo moved closer and knelt beside Renji.

"It won't…heal," said Byakuya, opening his eyes and gazing deeply into Renji's.

"Bya…I will heal this. I can heal this kind of wound. I've healed worse," Renji said, continuing to send healing energy into his lover's failing body.

"You don't…understand, Renji," Byakuya went on, "I was forced…to use what power I had…to fight. My spirit centers were not…ready for combat conditions. There is no…healing them…or my injuries. My body…cannot absorb spirit energy anymore."

"No," sobbed Renji, "I can heal you. I have to heal you. We need to find our son!"

A tear broke free and made its way down the noble's face.

"R-renji…I'm…I'm sorry…I c-couldn't…"

Renji shook his head.

"No…stop, don't say it…"

"You have to listen to me," Byakuya whispered, "I fought him…with everything I had…but, Renji…he…"

Byakuya stopped and closed his eyes. Renji stared down at him in disbelief.

"Raiden?" the redhead whispered, "Byakuya, where is our son?"

He lifted the noble's upper body so that Byakuya rested against him with his head on Renji's shoulder. Renji felt him shiver and silent sobs shook his body.

"G-gone…but Renji…I may know…a way…a way you can save him. But to do that, you have to be able…to…live, even though I won't. We are soul bonded, and that means that if one dies, then…the other will as well. B-but, you have to stay. For…Akane…and to try to…save Raiden."

"You aren't going to die," Renji whispered, kissing the words away, "Bya, I'm not going to let that happen."

"I have to…let go of our bond…while I still draw breath. I don't want you to…die with me. It doesn't mean that I don't love you enough. It means that…I love you enough to do what's best for you…for you…and Akane and Raiden."

"Bya, don't…"

"I have to…you understand."

Renji dissolved into tears as he felt the bond between them break and begin to fade.

"Aishiteru yo," Byakuya whispered against his lips, "Now listen to me. Aizen will try to take you and Akane. He calls it protection, but it isn't safe. Find Akane…and go to Urahara. He will…be able to hide you. And when you…are safe, you must tell Urahara that…you need to…use…Diablo's…Hourglass."

The noble fell silent and still in Renji's arms. Renji tightened his arms protectively around Byakuya, sobbing softly into the dark, sakura scented hair.

"You can't leave me…you can't…" Renji whispered, "I need you to stay. Byakuya…aishiteru yo…aishiteru yo…aishiteru yo…"

"Renji," Ichigo said quietly.

"No…"

"Renji…he's gone."

"No…I still feel him here…I feel him with me…"

Ichigo wrapped an arm around the redhead's shaking body.

"Renji…we can't stay here. You heard Byakuya. Aizen will be coming after you and Akane. We have to get you two into hiding…and don't forget, he said there might be a way to save Raiden, too. But we can't do that if we stay here too long and Aizen finds you. Come on. We have to go after Akane."

"I won't leave him in this place," Renji said in a low voice.

"No…we won't," Ichigo agreed, "We'll take him with us."

Renji loosened his hold on the noble, keeping an arm beneath his shoulders and the other hand curved around and supporting his head. He gazed down into the quiet, pale features and forced his emotions away.

"I swear to you, Kuchiki Byakuya, I will not rest until I find a way to save our son…and _you_. If there exists a way to make that happen, nothing will stop me until I find it."

"Renji…" Ichigo breathed, but he knew better than to say what was in his thoughts.

Renji pressed his lips gently to Byakuya's, then buried his face beneath the noble's chin, against his throat, wondering as he did, how many times he had sought this same place…to relax after lovemaking, to wake him in the morning…to seek comfort when he knew it couldn't be found in any other place. He sought that familiar place, this time looking for strength to see him through, then he lifted the noble's body into his arms and followed Ichigo silently out of the fortress.

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen Sousuke pulled himself free of the spirit king's body, shivering with excitement as he pried the scepter from his curled hand. He looked back at Gin and Tousen as he lifted it and focused on the large crystal orb at the top. He sent his reiatsu into the orb, letting it sink down inside, where it swirled and began to pulsate. He forced all of his power into the artifact and concentrated deeply, feeling the scepter quake in his hand and slowly come to life. White light exploded around him, encircling his body and sending the blinding power firing through him. He smiled widely at his colleagues.

"Gin…Tousen," he said quietly, "I have a task for you. I will make you invisible to them. I want you to return to the Seireitei and bring back…Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Akane."

"Hmm…" said Gin thoughtfully, "Byakuya's remaining family? What do you have in mind for them?"

Aizen's eyes gleamed.

"Why, Byakuya pleaded with me to let no harm come to them. I intend to honor that request. Bring them to me. Oh…and on your way out, have the ones who came with us clean up this mess. It is unseemly for my palace to be in such a state."

"What of the shinigamis? The Seireitei?" Tousen asked, "What if they reach the palace?"

"They won't," said Aizen calmly, "When I became king, the spirit dimension expelled them. They cannot enter without the key…and Soutaichou no longer knows its location. No one does except me…

He turned away from them, looking out the palace window at the fading light. Already, the full moon was rising. He stared at it for a time, thinking back to the sight of Byakuya, dressed in a light yukata and staring out his bedroom window, gazing silently up at the moon and stars.

You would have learned to be content here. I could have made you happy again. But you chose him over me…a peasant over a god…death over life. My heart still wishes that you lived, but I will respect your right to choose to rest eternally. I will not use my new powers to bring you back. Instead, I will do as you asked and bring your lover here. I will fill your place beside him and keep him safe. I will take your place in his bed and keep him warm. I will steal your place in his heart and make it mine. Do you still think that you chose wisely?

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji stared out the window of the healing center examination room as Unohana taichou leaned over Byakuya and carefully examined his body. She lingered over him for several long minutes before turning to Isane.

"Please make the official notation. There are no signs of life. No reiatsu responses."

She turned to Renji and nodded sadly.

"I will make the proper notifications to Soutaichou and the Kuchiki clan. And I have had Kuchiki Akane brought, as you asked. She is waiting in my office. Would you like me to be there when you tell her?"

"Hai," Renji said softly.

"Then we should go to her. Come."

Renji stood, swallowing hard and gazing back at Byakuya. Unohana placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Would you like a moment alone before we go to Akane?"

"Hai," Renji said, still staring at Byakuya.

Unohana nodded and slipped out of the room. Renji sat in a chair next to Byakuya, looking down at him and feeling something like ice running through his veins. He sighed softly.

"How did this happen to us, Bya? When I woke up this morning, we had a new baby boy. We had a little girl, a happy home. We had each other. I mean…I've had this kind of shit happen to me before…but it was in the Rukon, where you just already know that life is fucked up…and you're going to lose people…friends, family…no one is safe. Then I met you and I thought, "Damn, he's so strong. He's like me, too. He's watched life steal away the good things, the good people. But he's one you know is going to survive, because he's so damned strong. No one's going to mess with him." But everybody has their weak spots…and Aizen found yours. You loved us enough to die for us…and Aizen made you prove that.

I don't know how many damned times I've had lower my eyes and turn my head away and say to myself that this is just how it is. I've watched you do that too. It doesn't take away the pain…and it doesn't make things right. It just keeps us moving forward when we want everything to stop. Because if I could have…could have known this was coming…could have chosen a moment to suspend us in…I would have chosen that moment this morning…when you and Akane were sitting beside me while I held our baby boy…and we were all smiling and happy.

But you can't suspend life. It keeps going, even when you wish it wouldn't. And just like you had to pick yourself up and keep going after you lost your wife, I have get up and walk out of this room…and leave you here. But you'll always be in my heart. And what I feel for you will never go away. I'm going now. I'm going to take care of our daughter. And I'll prove with everything I have that I would do anything to protect her…the way you protected all of us. It may not be enough…but it's all I can do."

Renji blinked back his tears and bit down on his lip, steeling himself.

"Aishiteru yo. Good-bye, Kuchiki Byakuya."

He forced himself to his feet and left without looking back.


	7. The Devil's Promise

**Chapter 7: The Devil's Promise**

**(AN**Sorry about the chapter mixup in this one. I am fixing, but updates will be off by a chapter even though I have the chapters back in order now. Ah well...I do what I can.)**

"Daddy Ren!" Akane said, jumping to her feet as he entered the office, "They told me you wanted me to come see you here. I was worried that you were hurt!"

"No, Akane," Renji assured the girl, "I am fine."

The girl blinked and gazed at him with a confused expression. Renji dropped down onto his knees and pulled her close. The girl's eyes widened.

"Daddy Ren, what's wrong?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him.

And suddenly, Renji didn't know how to tell her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, tears coming to his eyes.

"Kuchiki Akane," Said Unohana taichou calmly, "Abarai Renji called you here because something serious has happened. It will be difficult for you to hear, just as it is difficult for him to say it."

"What happened?" the girl asked, fear coming into her eyes.

Renji forced himself to meet her eyes.

"Akane…you know how we thought that Aizen Sousuke died at the Kuchiki council hall?"

Akane nodded warily.

"Well…it turns out that he wasn't killed. He escaped…and he came back."

"But that's okay," Akane said, patting his shoulder, "Daddy Bya said that he wouldn't let anyone like that hurt us. He promised."

"Yeah, I know he did. And he was willing to do anything to keep that promise. But sometimes…things go wrong. And today…they did. Your Daddy Bya was out walking with Raiden and…Aizen Sousuke…took them away to Las Noches."

"Daddy Bya? He took Daddy Bya away again?" she asked, tears filling her eyes, "And he took Baby Raiden?"

Renji nodded.

"But you can find them, right? You found Daddy Bya before and he was all right."

Renji shook his head.

"I went to Las Noches, but when I got there, it was too late."

Akane shivered in his arms and she started to cry.

"They're gone, Akane. Aizen Sousuke killed them."

"No…no…not my Daddy Bya! And our Baby? Why did he do that? Why?" the girl sobbed, "Daddy Bya never did anything bad to him! And our baby…!"

Akane dissolved into tears, clinging tightly to Renji's shoulder.

"Daddy Bya was always so nice to me…" she sobbed, "He always told me stories and we liked to walk in the garden. We…we planted new flowers and we were going to see which ones were the prettiest. And he was going to riding with me and…"

"I know," Renji said, burying his face in her hair to hide his own tears, "You were very close to Byakuya and it made him really happy to be with you, too. He loved you Akane…Byakuya loved you with all of his heart."

"And he loved Baby Raiden too…" she went on, gulping for air, "I h-heard him singing to him…and…and he kissed him on the nose…and when it was time for him to have a nap, we both kissed him…one on each side…"

Renji opened his mouth to reply, but the words flew out of his mind and all that came out was a hard sob. He sucked in a breath and forced himself to straighten, noticing as he did that Akane was looking up at him with tragically beautiful, shattered gray eyes. He felt a strange heaving in his chest and thought he would cry out again, because he knew he was still looking at Akane, but all he could see were Byakuya's eyes looking back at him. Akane reached up with her hands and set one on each side of Renji's face, then raised herself up and kissed him on the forehead. Renji closed his eyes for a moment, gathering himself.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked softly.

Akane blinked several times, clearing her eyes. She sniffed and rested her head on Renji's shoulder.

"B-because…that's what Daddy Bya did…when he knew I got hurt, but he couldn't fix it. He said that he couldn't fix everything, but when he couldn't, he was still sorry. So, he kissed me like that to show he wished he could fix it for me."

Renji kept his eyes closed and repeated the gesture. When he opened his eyes again, Akane still looked crestfallen and her eyes held tears, but her body had calmed and she leaned against him wearily. He tilted his head so that he could see her eyes.

"Akane, before Byakuya died, he told me that we should go and stay with Urahara Kisuke for a while."

"B-but…you mean, we can't live at Kuchiki Manor anymore?" she asked, her eyes tearing again.

"He was just…worried…because Aizen Sousuke is still alive and Byakuya wants us to be safe from him."

Akane's face paled.

"You mean, he wants to kill us too?" she asked in a choked voice.

"Akane, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," Renji promised.

Akane burst into tears.

"That's what Daddy Bya said when that man tried to hurt me! And then Aizen Sousuke just killed him! He'll kill you too, Daddy Ren! Then I won't have anybody to live with!"

"Akane," Renji said firmly, placing his hands on the girl's shoulders. Akane looked back at him with a surprised expression.

"I'm not going to let Aizen Sousuke hurt either one of us. We're leaving now and going to Karkaura Town."

"B-but," Akane said, sniffing, "who will go to Daddy Bya's funeral?"

Renji gazed down at her sadly.

"The Kuchiki households will all be there…and the Council of Elders. Probably our whole division will be there, too. Akane, even though we can't be there, he will have lots of people there to say good-bye to him."

"But when can I say good-bye?"

"I don't know," Renji said softly, "It may be a while before it's safe. But when it is…we'll come back."

He looked up at Unohana taichou.

"I think it's dark enough outside that we can slip away safely. Have you heard anything from the battlefield?"

"We've been quite busy handling the casualties, but a few of the wounded have said that our forces were expelled from the spirit dimension. It means that…"

"I know what it means," Renji said quietly, "Have you seen or heard from Kuchiki Rukia?"

"She is here. She has been informed about Kuchiki taichou. I will go and find her for you."

"No need," said a tired voice from the doorway as Rukia walked in.

Her eyes were red and still teary and she walked with a pronounced limp.

"Rukia," Renji said quietly, "Were you hurt in the battle?"

Rukia nodded.

"I'll be fine. It was just a couple of menos that attacked together. I managed them okay."

They looked at each other for a moment in silence.

"So…" Renji said finally, "will you be coming with us?"

"Of course I will, baka," she said, trying to smile, "Where else would I be? Even though you weren't married to him yet, you and I were like brother and sister since a long time ago. We need to stay together."

"I heard that our forces were expelled from the spirit dimension."

Rukia nodded.

"They reached the palace and…Aizen is now king. Renji…his first act was to lock down the entire spirit dimension. All of the Gotei 13 was expelled and we can only guess at what he'll do with the remaining Royal Guardsmen. He made clear his intention to eliminate the noble houses and to disband the Gotei 13."

"He doesn't have the power to back it up…yet. But he will. He only needs time to gather himself, and then he will come after everyone who opposed him."

"But the nobles and the Gotei 13 are already preparing for the battle…although…" Rukia stopped for a moment and rubbed her eyes, "Without Nii-sama…and having lost many of their strongest in the massacre, the Kuchiki clan will face a much more difficult battle. Renji…it's possible that the clan could be completely annihilated!"

Renji closed his eyes against the suggestion. When he opened them again, he met Rukia's eyes with a mixture of desperation and determination.

"Rukia…we have to take Akane and go now. If we delay our leaving, Aizen will come after us. Byakuya…Byakuya said that he would."

"Then we will trust Nii-sama's wisdom and do as he said. We will go now."

Unohana taichou smiled sadly.

"Be careful in your journey…I will speak to Soutaichou personally about your mission. Watch out for each other."

Renji and Rukia nodded, then gently took Akane's hand and left the office. They moved silently down the darkened hallway to the back entrance and quickly scanned the area for enemies. They slipped out into the streets, listening to the quiet, worried exchanges that were happening everywhere as word of Aizen's actions spread.

The streets grew quieter as they drew near the senkaimon. Rukia and Renji silently held Akane's hands and the three passed into the precipice world. As they moved along the pathway, they suddenly spotted someone on the road ahead of them. The man was thin and cloaked, so that his face was hidden. As they drew near, he lifted his head and opened his eyes wide, fixing the three in place.

"My, my, it has been a while, hasn't it?"

Renji and Rukia instantly drew their weapons, but kido spells cracked in the air and they found themselves bound tightly in place. Akane screamed.

"Oh, do be quiet!" Gin said in an annoyed tone, "I hate it when they make so much noise!"

Kido flashed around them again and the three feel to the ground. Gin and Tousen moved forward and gazed down at their captives.

"We have an extra," commented Gin, looking at Rukia, "What shall we do with her?"

Tousen looked at him sternly.

"Aizen-sama has said that we are to bring the two. We leave her here."

"Oh…very well," said Gin, "You know, you're no fun at all!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Urahara Kisuke stood in front of his shop, gazing out into the night with distant, troubled eyes. Jinta and Ururu scuttled around nearby, putting things away and preparing for the making of the spell that would conceal them. Inside, Tessai worked feverishly to make sure all was in place for the spell's casting. Urahara blinked, sensing Yoruich and Ichigo returning.

"Thank goodness for small favors," he muttered under his breath.

Yoruichi appeared first. Then Ichigo flash stepped in behind her. Urahara nodded in greeting.

"What did you find?" he asked, "Was there any sign of them?"

"Nothing," Ichigo reported, disgustedly, "Not a fiber. It's like they dropped off the face of the earth!"

"We went back to Unohana taichou and she told me that the three left together…and Renji told her that they were coming to us."

"Maybe, they still are…" mused Urahara, "but that's not what my gut is telling me."

"So what do we do?" Ichigo asked.

They were interrupted by the hiss of a flash step and the sudden appearance of a disheveled and distraught Kuchiki Rukia.

"Rukia!" gasped Ichigo, sounding deeply relieved, "Thank kami you're all right!"

"Where are Renji and Akane?" asked Yoruichi worriedly.

Rukia shook her head in frustration.

"We were attacked by Gin and Tousen while passing through the precipice world. If they aren't already in the spirit dimension, then they'll be there soon!"

"Damn," said Kisuke, his eyes intense, "This just goes from bad to worse. Aizen weakened the Gotei 13 badly when he left…and those open positions were never filled. The sixth division was the jewel of the Gotei 13! Now, he's killed Byakuya and has Renji…and he'll use Akane against him, just like he used her to break down Byakuya."

"And without Byakya to go after him, Renji's going to need help. We can't leave him in the spirit dimension with that freak!" said Ichigo angrily, "Look what he did to Byakuya…and I never met anyone as strong as he was."

"I know," said Yoruichi sadly, "I wouldn't have thought anyone could do that to him…but Aizen is relentless and now he has the power of a god."

"Friends," said Kisuke softly, "We are in a hell of a lot of trouble. Aizen is quiet for the moment. He isolated himself so that he could split the enemy forces and cut down the rest of the Royal Guard. When he's done with that, he'll start his offensive in the Seireitei…and we know who's on the hit list there…the Gotei 13 and the noble families…the last bastions of the old king's forces. After that, he'll start rebuilding…but his way. And having seen what he's capable, I don't want to be around to see that."

"Then we have to stop him before it comes to that," said Ichigo, "But, Kisuke, we can't leave Renji in his hands. He's our friend and he needs our help."

"He does," said Kisuke, "And he's going to have it. But you and Rukia are going to have to be the ones to help him."

"But we can't get into the spirit dimension!" objected Rukia, "Only Soutaichou knows where to find the King's Key!"

Urahara's lips curled into a sly smile.

"Well, now, that may be true, but what's also true is that even the straight-laced Soutaichou felt the need to hedge his bets in case something like this ever happened. It just so happens, I have a device that will get you into the spirit dimension. But I'll give you this warning. When you get there, hide your reiatsu and don't let Aizen know you're there. He may be newly crowned, but he won't have a problem frying the two of you if he catches wind of you being there! Keep your heads low and work quickly. When you're done, use this token to find my shop. As soon as Tessai finishes the enchantment, our base will disappear and we will be the only ones who know where it is. Any questions?"

He looked at each of the others questioningly, then nodded.

"All right, then off with you…and Ichigo…"

The substitute shinigami looked back at him with understanding eyes and he nodded.

"I'll be careful."

Kisuke laughed.

"I wasn't going to tell you to be careful. I know better than that. I was going to tell you to bring yourself back alive and in one piece. I'm getting tired of having to patch up your ass every time you get yourself torn up!"

Ichigo smiled.

"All right, I'll try not to get too banged up," he said softly.

"Good," said Kisuke, "The Seireitei needs you."

Ichigo frowned at him cutely and flash stepped away.

"And I do too…" Kisuke finished quietly.

Yoruichi smiled sadly and placed a hand on his arm.

"Come on," she said, turning toward the senkaimon, "The Seireitei needs you too."


	8. False Reflection

**Chapter 8: False Reflection**

"Renji," said a soft, concerned voice, "Renji, wake up."

He jumped awake and found himself naked and wrapped in Byakuya's arms. The noble gazed at him questioningly. He shook his head and kissed Renji on the mouth, then got up and headed out of the room.

"I'm at…home?" Renji mused.

"Of course," said Byakuya quietly, "Where did you think you were?"

"B-but…how did I get here?" Renji asked breathlessly, "And where's Akane?"

"Renji, Akane is asleep in her room…and Raiden is in the nursery…and I'm right here. Renji," Byakuya said, kissing him again, "What's wrong?"

"But…you…" Renji said, tears coming to his eyes, "and Raiden…Bya, you were both dead. How?"

"Shh, it's okay, Renji," Byakuya whispered against his lips, "I'm here now. Once Aizen-sama was made king, he brought us back. He has that power. It was his thinking that since we were helpful to him, he would restore what was lost."

The noble's lips curved into a sweet smile.

"Aren't you pleased?" he said softly, "I thought you wanted me back."

"I did," whispered Renji, staring into the dark gray eyes, "I wanted you back more than anything, Bya."

Something wasn't right. Byakuya looked and even acted like himself…but…if he had been captured and taken to Aizen…

"Renji," Byakuya whispered, meeting his lips again.

_Kami, everything about him…seems right, but my instincts are telling me…_

He broke away from the kiss and held Byakuya at arms length. The noble looked back at him curiously, but now Renji could see the malevolence behind the loving expression. He leaned forward as though beginning to accept Byakuya's kiss, then swung a fist that was instantly captured in a viselike grip.

"That…was very unwise…Renji," said Aizen's voice.

The face and body were still Byakuya's, but something more disturbing was breaking through.

"You unbelievable bastard!" yelled Renji, "How dare you pretend to be him!"

"But Renji, don't you understand?" Aizen said smoothly, "I am a god, now. I can give Byakuya back to you. I can bring back Raiden, right now."

"Sure, I know you could," Renji said bitterly, "but Byakuya would rather be dead than to be brought back by you! And even if you could bring him back…it wouldn't be him, would it? Because you poison everything you touch. You might give me back a body that lives and breathes and walks and talks like Byakuya, but it will never be him," Renji sobbed, "You killed our son right in front of him! You made him so desperate that he tore his own flesh breaking free so he could protect Raiden! You couldn't begin to understand what that's like! You're a monster! You're as heartless as those damned hollows you surrounded yourself with!"

The body that looked like Byakuya's faded and returned to Aizen's own form. He touched Renji on the cheek and the redhead caught his breath in surprise as he was rendered unable to move. Aizen lifted Renji and carried him to the bed he had awakened in. The room around them shimmered and dissolved, changing from Byakuya and Renji's bedroom in the Seireitei to a richly furnished room in the royal palace. Renji remained frozen on the bed as Aizen climbed onto the bed beside him.

"It seems that you think that you are the only one who lost something when Byakuya was killed. That's not so, Renji. I lost him, too."

"You sick bastard! You were the one who killed him!"

"He didn't leave me any choice. It wasn't like before. You see, when I took Byakuya and imprisoned him in Las Noches, he broke, he shattered into pieces. I put him back together, piece by piece, rebuilding him the way I wanted him to be. He was beautiful, Renji…perfect. He would have been my consort when I became king. That is the fate I had in mind for Byakuya. We could have been happy…living here in the palace and filling these rooms with beautiful children to rule after us…"

"Byakuya never wanted you or your children!" raged Renji, straining against the kido that held him, "His body rejected you over and over! You worked for five years trying to force him to have your kids! It wasn't right…and you knew it. Because there was only one person who was meant to give Byakuya children…and that person was me!"

Renji bit back a cry of pain as Aizen's hand struck his face forcefully.

"You were nothing but a dog from the Rukon! Certainly, you were no partner for a beautiful creature like my Byakuya. You weren't worthy of him and I was left to wonder why your body could make his bear children. I studied and researched it endlessly while he was with me in Las Noches, but although I could mimic the process, I didn't understand why it was you! I didn't understand until after I was injured by Byakuya and I returned to Las Noches for healing. As I healed, I pored over everything I learned from before…and then knowing that Akane was yours as well, I studied samples of her blood and reiatsu we had stored there. It was then that I discovered something amazing. You see…Akane is not just noble…her blood is also royal."

"What? Byakuya is…"

"No, Renji, the royal blood came from you!"

"But…"

"Obviously, there was one among the royals who did not follow the rules. There is a rule that no one of royal blood is to live outside the spirit dimension. To do so is a crime. One among them walked among the peasants of the Rukon…and that person was either your father…or your grandfather. And because of that royal blood, I was able to use your son to create Diablo's key…a binding of royal reiatsu and the reiatsu of the ancient hollow god, Diablo…and the way that I was able to enter this dimension and kill the king. That is why I had to use Raiden…"

"You fucking bastard! You killed my son so you could come here and massacre the royal family? The ones you claim I'm related to? Then, it's my duty to kill you…f-for Byakuya…for Raiden…for the royal family and everyone else you slaughtered on your way to the throne! I swear I will kill you! I will fucking kill you, I swear it!"

"I could kill you, you know," Aizen said softly, "And as you are royal, I probably should to prevent my own heirs from feeling any loyalty to the old ruler. But instead of killing you, Renji, I think you deserve a harsher punishment. Because of you, Byakuya couldn't love me or bear my children. Because of you, he loved Akane and Raiden enough so that he sacrificed himself on my blade to offer them his protection. You forced him into that situation. You forced me to lose him…to kill him with my own hand…so I think you will replace Byakuya at my side. As a god, I can make your body bear the children he would have borne me. You will give back everything you took from me."

"What I took from you?" Renji screamed, "What I fucking took from you? You took Byakuya from me! He was in love with me!"

"No! He was mine!" Aizen snapped, wrapping a hand around Renji's throat, "I made him understand that he was mine. We would have been here together if not for you. But now _you_ will be mine. I will keep you here and fill your belly with my children, Renji. You belong here, in the spirit dimension anyway…and now that you have come home, you will remain here, with me."

He ran a hand down Renji's chest and gazed at his body hungrily.

"And since you took away my Byakuya, took him to your bed and fouled that beautiful body with your seed. filled him with your vermin, you will pay for what you have done by giving me back everything I lost when my Byakuya died."

"Don't you touch me! Don't you dare fucking touch me! If you do I will kill you…I will…"

"You will do what I tell you," Aizen said coldly, "for the same reason that Byakuya obeyed me while he was with me in Las Noches. You will obey me to protect Akane."

Renji's eyes closed as he remembered the haunted look that had overtaken Byakuya's face every time there had been a hint of Aizen coming after them. It sickened him to feel that same fear creeping into his own heart. But Akane was all he had left of Byakuya…and he and Akane were all that was left of their family. He let out a defeated breath and his body slumped in the hold of the restraints.

Aizen smiled.

"I see that you understand. Now, I will release the restraints and you are to allow me to touch you in any way I desire. You are to pleasure me in any way I order you to…and if you disobey me, then I will kill your daughter in front of you."

Renji kept his eyes shut and held his breath.

"Do you understand…Abarai Renji?" Aizen asked quietly.

There was a long silence.

"Renji?" Aizen said again, tightening his hand around the redhead's throat.

"Yeah…I understand you," he said quietly.

_And I will find a way to kill you for this…_

"Open your eyes."

Renji opened his eyes and looked up into Aizen's calm face.

"Don't take off of mine. I want you to know who your master is…"

He pushed Renji's thighs apart and entered him roughly. Renji sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes still on Aizen's.

"Good," Aizen said, thrusting in deeply, "Your body is not so soft as his was, but you are as tight inside as he was."

_How dare you speak of him like that! I'll kill you…I'll kill you…I'll kill you…_

"You have an aggressive look in your eyes, Abarai Renji," Aizen said, continuing the heavy thrusting, "He did, at first, but I was able to overcome him. And though you are still rebellious in your mind, that will only last so long as you feel there is hope."

He breathed heavily against Renji's throat, thrusting in deeper and harder, until the redhead grunted with pain at the harshness of it.

"I will take whatever hope you still have and I will smash it, Renji. And very soon, you will look at me with fear in your eyes…like he did."

He tightened his hands on Renji's arms, holding himself still as hot seed pulsed out of him and filled his captive. The redhead shivered at the feel of it inside him and all he could think of was the feel of spiders crawling around inside of him. Aizen panted heavily against his shoulder for a few minutes, then pulled away and stood. Renji remained on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"You may dress and go to see Akane. Her room is at the end of the hall, on the right."

Renji remained silent and still.

"Tomorrow, I will name you my consort and we will be married."

He walked to the window and stared outside for a moment.

"Let's hope for our sakes that it turns out better than our last, ne?"

Aizen turned and walked out of the room. Renji turned and climbed to his feet, his body aching from the brutality of Aizen's assault on him. He forced down the feeling of sickness at the feel of Aizen's seed running down his thighs and tried to stop himself from shaking. His mind flashed back to Byakuya, standing in the shower and desperately rubbing his skin raw, trying to rid himself of the memory of the madman's touch.

"I guess you know what this feels like," Renji whispered, "and because I remember what he put you through, I'll be strong…I'll get her away from him, Byakuya. I promise I will."

He crossed the room and found the bathroom. He entered the shower and let the hot water wash Aizen's scent from his skin. But he couldn't wash away the memory of Aizen's touch…and the cold words that continued to ring in his ears. The worst words, of course, were the ones that compared him to Byakuya, that forced him, as his own body was taken and used, to remember that Byakuya's was taken and used in the same way, by this same man…the only difference being that now this man was a god…and Renji couldn't figure out how he was supposed to get away and stay free of him. There was no way to do it…No way but to kill him. But Renji didn't know if there was a way to kill a god. He sighed and leaned his head against the wall, unbidden tears coming to his eyes.

"Bya," he sobbed softly, "you would know what to do. You would be able to help me think of a way…but I can't think of it, not without you…what do I do, Bya? How do I save myself and our little girl?"

He remembered suddenly, the feel of Byakuya's head resting against his shoulder, the feel of death stealing him away and cried harder. But as the memory grew, he also remembered the words…

"Aishiteru yo," Byakuya whispered against his lips, "Now listen to me. Aizen will try to take you and Akane. He calls it protection, but it isn't safe. Find Akane…and go to Urahara. He will…be able to hide you. And when you…are safe, you must tell Urahara that…you need to…use…Diablo's…Hourglass."

"Urahara?" whispered Renji, "Diablo's Hourglass? Bya…what were you talking about? Is this the way? Were you telling me how I could defeat him?"

Hard, silent sobs shook his body as he remembered the feel of Byakuya's blood seeping through his shihakushou as he knelt next to his dying lover…the tormented, blood spattered face, the feel of his body losing its strength and going limp and still in his arms.

"Bya…" he sobbed softly, "I need you…I can't do this by myself."

And suddenly he was transported back to a time just after their soul bonding. Byakuya's voice rose up in his mind, soft and poignant.

"_Even when I came back, it's like I wasn't alive. I thought that it was another of his tricks…just another way to torment me. But…you…Renji…you made me feel alive again. I feel happy again. We have our daughter…and each other. That is so much more than I ever thought we would have…and even though I waited…and even though I suffered so badly…I finally feel alive inside again, and I want to stay that way. I always want to feel this alive."_

_He pulled away and gazed fiercely into Byakuya's dark eyes._

_"I won't let him take you away from me like that again," he promised, "because I'm nothing without you."_

_"And I am nothing without you," whispered Byakuya, "and nothing can keep us apart now, Renji, nothing. We are bound at the soul…and there is no force that he wields that can defeat it…Renji…not even death can part us anymore, because we'll still be together, even if death takes us!"_

"But he even took that away from us," Renji sobbed, sinking to his knees, "you weren't supposed to die and leave me here! You weren't supposed to leave me alone. I know you had to…I know you only broke the soul bond because of Akane…but I don't want to do this without you. Bya, I can't do this by myself."

He thought again of the mention of Urahara Kisuke and wondered briefly if the man was even still alive. He was damned sure that if Aizen perceived the shopkeeper as any kind of threat, he would kill Kisuke as he had killed everyone else who had gotten in his way. But Kisuke was crafty and deceptively powerful. And if he could find a way to him…

"But how do I reach him?" Renji whispered, "How do Akane and I get out of this place?"

Renji buried his face in his arms and sighed deeply, letting the hot rush of water strike his skin and carry the tension away.

It was true that he had lost nearly everything and it was true that things seemed hopeless. But even as everything else broke down inside him, something held him together. It was stupid, he thought. But even though he knew that Byakuya was dead, he felt…deep down inside…like some little bit of him was there, still alive and still fighting alongside him. And he decided to believe that the soul bond couldn't be shattered so easily, not even by Byakuya's will. Something of it still held on…and though there was no logical reason for it, Renji somehow found hope that it meant that Byakuya, too, could still somehow be saved.


	9. Yasahiro

**Chapter 9: Yasahiro**

Kuchiki Akane sat in the window seat, overlooking the beautiful expanse of the palace gardens…gardens so breathtaking, she knew that if she had come to this place with Byakuya, it would have been where they would have spent most of their time. But all she could do when looking at these gardens was to cry. She still remembered kneeling alongside Byakuya two days before, planting flowers in their garden. She remembered the way it felt when he set the flower to be planted in her hand, and his hand touched hers.

_"One of the things I would like for you to remember always, Akane, is that the people around you are like flowers. There are some things that they will do for themselves. A flower will grow and change, but even though it does these things, you can change its life for better or for worse with the things that you do. If you take care of a flower, it will grow stronger and more beautiful. It will turn towards the sun and seek its brightness. In the same way, when you give your love to someone, you give them strength and courage. You can't always stop bad things from happening, but you give them what they need to fight their way through."_

"Daddy Bya," she whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest and rocking back and forth, "Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…"

She tried to sing the song she had heard him sing to Baby Raiden…to hear the way he said her name…to feel his arms wrap around her to make her feel safe. She smelled the sweet, light scent of sakura and felt the softness of pink petals touch her skin.

_"…you give them what they need to fight their way through."_

"Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…" she repeated, her eyes drying and glazing over, "Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…Daddy Bya…"

Gradually, her voice faded and her eyes closed. She drifted off to sleep, still thinking about the warmth of Byakuya's embrace. As sleep overtook her, she thought she could feel his arms wrap around her.

_She found herself walking down the trail that wound around the gardens at Kuchiki Manor. The day was warm and clear, a good day for walking. She laughed and bounded ahead of Byakuya, stopping by the koi pond to lie down on her stomach and stick her fingers in the water to attract the colorful fish. A hand took hers and turned it over, filling it with a sprinkling of koi food. She reached out over the water, letting the fish food tumble out of her hand, then watched the koi surface and suck it into their opening and closing mouths. She laughed at how quickly they devoured the food and turned to Byakuya for more food to give them. She caught her breath lightly as she noticed that he was nowhere to be seen._

"_Daddy Bya?" she called softly._

_He had never left her alone in the garden or anywhere else. She didn't like being alone._

"_Daddy Bya?" she called, more loudly._

_She thought she saw him near the back gate and ran towards it, forgetting about everything but finding him._

"_Daddy Bya!" she cried, approaching the gate._

_Her feet slid to a stop on the trail as she realized that the man in front of her wasn't Byakuya._

"_Akane," he said calmly._

_Akane screamed._

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji heard Akane scream and burst out of his room and down the hallway. He threw the door open, flying across the room and gathering the sobbing girl into his arms.

"Akane, it's okay…it's okay…it was a dream…it's okay," he said, stroking her hair.

She lifted her teary eyes and met Renji's, then buried her face in his shoulder and cried harder.

"I want Daddy Bya!" she sobbed, "Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya! Daddy Bya!"

She was screaming into his shoulder and holding him so tightly it hurt. And he wanted like anything to scream right along with her…but something inside him…that same place that had given him the strength to climb back onto his feet and keep going, kept him calm. It took every ounce of self-control he had, but Renji had been born and raised in the Rukon. He had seen this kind of pain over and over. He kept his arms around Akane and breathed in and out slowly, whispering reassurances and stroking her face and hair.

"Byakuya is gone," he whispered, "but I am still here…and we have to take care of each other. Akane, we have to take care of each other, so that we can find what we need to fight our way through."

Akane's eyes rose to meet his and even though they were still filled with tears, he could feel that something he said had gotten through to her.

"Daddy Bya said that…" she whispered brokenly, "He said that when we love someone, we give them what they need to fight their way through. He said that in the garden…wh-when we were p-planting flowers…"

Renji placed his hands on either side of her face.

"Byakuya was right. Akane, Byakuya and I haven't yet told you a lot about my past."

Akane sniffed and loosened her hands, settling into his lap and leaning against his shoulder.

"He said you lived in the Rukongai and that you and Rukia didn't have anyone to take care of you, so you were like a brother and sister."

"He's right. We are like a brother and sister. We had other kids that lived with us, and they were like family. But it was dangerous there, and by the time that Rukia and I were grown up, our friends had all died. We only had each other left. And that was hard. So I know it hurts really bad inside to know that Byakuya isn't coming back to us this time, but we have each other now. Byakuya made sure that we would have each other so we could fight our way through this."

Akane remained still and quiet, calm now and rested against him. He kissed the top of her head and held her there against him, feeling the slow inhale and exhale of her breathing.

"I want to tell you something. Akane, you are a lot like Byakuya. You have his eyes and his love for family, his appreciation of everything beautiful around him. But part of you came from me. And when things get really difficult, you have the same kind of strength in you that I had, growing up. You've never walked the streets of the Rukongai, but because of me, it's in your blood, and when everything else goes away, that strength comes out of you and keeps you going. You're going to be okay. We'll get away from here, I promise. And when it's safe again, we will go home."

"W-will we be able to live at Kuchiki Manor?" Akane asked softly.

"Yeah," Renji said, brushing a tear from her face, "You are the heir, so we will be able to stay at the manor. That's our home, Akane. Byakuya made sure that it would always be our home."

"I miss Daddy Bya," Akane whispered, "but I'm glad I have you, Daddy Ren."

"I'm glad I have you, too."

Renji sighed.

"Akane, things are really, mixed up, right now. Aizen Sousuke is the king now. He told me that he is going to force me to marry him and you and I will have to stay here with him. It's going to be hard to get free, so while we are here, I want you to do what he tells you. He isn't going to hurt you, but if you don't do what he says, he might. I am going to find a way for us to escape…and we will get out of here. But, for now, just be careful not to make Aizen mad at you, okay?"

"Okay."

The door opened and Aizen stepped into the room. He stood quietly across the room from them, studying them for a moment.

"Akane," he said quietly, "I haven't seen you for a while. I know you are very upset, right now. But I also hope that you do your best to make yourself comfortable here. I am going to be married to Renji and I will be your stepfather."

Akane looked up at him and nodded silently. Aizen crossed the room and placed a hand under her chin.

"I miss him, too, Akane," he told her quietly.

"Then why did you hurt him," the girl asked, her voice breaking, "Why did you kill Daddy Bya? He was…he…"

"He was gentle and kind to you, and you loved him. I know you are angry with me, because I did kill him, but it wasn't intentional. I meant for him to live."

"But you killed our baby too."

"I had to do that, too. I needed to get into the spirit dimension to become king. Akane, there were many things about our worlds that weren't right. I wanted to be king so that I could fix things. Now that I am, I can make our worlds better."

"The worlds were better when Daddy Bya and our baby were alive," Akane said, tears rising in her eyes again.

"I am sorry," Aizen said, looking into her eyes, "And I hope that with time, you will stop being angry with me. Then we can make a family here and Renji will have more babies, and you can name your brothers and sisters."

"Daddy Ren and Daddy Bya were going to be married. Daddy Ren doesn't want to marry you."

"But he will," Aizen said quietly, "and the two of you will live with me, here in the palace. Do you understand?"

Renji's eyes met Akane's for just a moment, and the girl nodded silently.

"Good," Aizen said, "Renji, it is time for you to be fitted for your wedding clothes. Come."

Renji looked down at Akane.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

Akane nodded. She climbed off of his lap and sat back down in the window seat, staring out at the garden. She barely heard when they left the room and quietly closed the door. She took quiet breaths and tried to think about what Renji had said. He said that she had strength and that it would help her. She didn't feel strong, but she knew that Renji would not lie to her, so she chose to believe him. She kept her breathing slow and steady and stared out the window, trying not to start crying again. She had nearly fallen asleep, when she heard a small noise inside the closet. Curious, she climbed out of the window seat and walked to the closet. She opened the door and peeked inside. She didn't see anything, so she carefully moved the coats on the hangers aside. She caught her breath in surprise as she came face to face with a small boy, barely older than her.

"Wh-who are you?" she asked softly.

The boy looked at her shyly, with eyes that looked as sad as hers.

"I am Prince Yasahiro," he told her, "Aizen Sousuke killed my father, the king, and all of my family…except you and Abarai Renji"

XXXXXXXXXX

"I think it's time to use those reiatsu limiters Kisuke gave us," Rukia told Ichigo, handing him one of the devices, "Once we pass through this wall, we cannot use our powers without Aizen being able to sense us."

"We'll be careful and we'll be okay, Rukia. We're going to find Renji and Akane…and we'll get them away from that bastard."

"Just don't get any ideas about fighting him, Ichigo. This isn't that kind of mission. Everything depends on us slipping in here and not being sensed. So don't so anything stupid, like getting caught."

"I won't if you won't," he said, smiling supportively.

Rukia lifted the dimension disruptor and touched it to the dimension wall. A small opening appeared in the wall, allowing them to pass through. They reached the other side and found themselves in a beautiful garden that seemed to have more different varieties of plants and animals than the two had ever seen. They moved away from the nearby trail, moving parallel to it, but remaining hidden in the forest. They worked their way slowly towards the palace, reaching it as the daylight began to fade. They settled in the brush and trees, waiting until it was fully dark, then moved in closer and worked their way silently towards the palace. They spotted a set of large double doors, and through it, the throne room. Rukia blanched.

"I sense his spiritual pressure. Ichigo. We'd better hope that those limiters work like they're supposed to!"

They hid in the bushes near the throne room, listening.

"That looks very good on you, Renji," Aizen's voice said quietly, "I shall certainly enjoy removing it after the ceremony. And at that time, we will make our first child together."

Renji's reply was too soft for them to hear.

"Good," said Aizen softly, "You understand the way of things. I am glad. Your obedience will set a good example for Akane. If she sees that you defer to me, she will, as well. I must commend you on your willingness to conform to my wishes. I still sense your aggressiveness, but I believe that will ease with time."

Their voices fell away and the room went silent. They edged closer, peeking inside, and did not see anyone.

"I guess he doesn't have his own guards yet," Ichigo mused.

"Be glad we got in while it was locked down and he doesn't feel that he needs them!" Rukia exclaimed softly, "If there were guards here, we'd never get into the palace."

They slipped inside and found a servant's passage that led toward what looked to be the common areas of the palace. They walked slowly, listening for familiar voices. At first, they heard none, but as they reached the beginning of one hallway, they heard Renji's voice release a groan of pain. Ichigo's eyes darkened and he put his hand on the door that led to the room he was in.

"Don't you feel it," she breathed softly, "He is with Aizen. If we go in there now, he will kill us. Remember, we cannot be seen, or all is lost."

She touched the door with her fingertips, tears forming in her eyes as Renji's sounds of pain continued. Ichigo stood beside her, his eyes flaring.

"Keep your reiatsu lowered," she warned him.

Ichigo nodded silently. He watched Rukia for several minutes in the darkness.

"Maybe you should try to find Akane," he suggested.

Rukia shook her head, her eyes still on the door between Renji and them. Her eyes glistened and blinked slowly.

"He'll be okay, Rukia," Ichigo said, "and we'll get him out of here. We just have to wait until that creep leaves him alone."

"Ichigo," Rukia said in a sad tone, "Did I ever tell you that Renji saved me from being attacked by a Rukongai gang?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"He fought off the whole group…didn't let even one of them touch me. He got beat up really bad, but he said it was worth it, because he had protected me."

Ichigo's eyes looked stricken, but he said nothing.

"We have to get him out of here," she said in a resolved tone.

"Don't you worry," Ichigo said encouragingly, "We will."

Rukia swallowed hard and nodded, blinking back tears as Renji's pained releases continued on the other side of the door.


	10. Hana-Doragon

**Chapter 10: Hana-Doragon**

Renji listened carefully until he heard the bedroom door close and lock behind Aizen, then worked his way slowly to his feet, clenching his teeth to avoid making sounds of pain as he sought the sanctuary of the shower. He couldn't get there fast enough. He sat on the small, tiled bench seat in the shower, closing his eyes so that he wouldn't see the blood that joined the water that streamed down the length of his body. He washed himself slowly, taking long, slow breaths to ease his trembling and forcing his hands to remain gentle as he worked. He forced away thoughts of Byakuya and washed away, blood, sweat, semen and tears.

But he couldn't wash away the memories…

"Bastard," he whispered, "It won't be like it was with Byakuya. I'm going to get away from you. Akane and I will get away from you…cock sucking…son of a bitch…"

He leaned against the wall, pain still rocketing through his body and tried to place himself back in the Rukongai. Doing so helped him to force away the feelings of hopelessness and despair. He couldn't waste time on those things. No Rukon kid would. He suffered a deep pang of sympathy for Byakuya, knowing that his more sheltered life had worked against him terribly when Aizen held him.

"But he had me to hold him afterward. What fucking afterward is there going to be for us now?" he whispered, "Bya, I have to find a way to get you back. It's crazy, but I feel like you're still there. In my dreams, I can feel you touching me. Could it be that you're not completely gone? Could some part of you have been left behind?"

He leaned more heavily against the wall and drifted off under the warm spray of water. For a long time, he drifted in a haze, half remembering where he was and what his situation was, but partially floating in blissful unawareness. He felt soft, gentle hands touch his tormented skin and small flares of reiatsu that brushed against him, easing the pain and healing the places that had experienced Aizen's brutal touch. His hands reached up and found wet strands of soft hair.

_Oh…oh my sweet kami! Could…Could it be?_

He struggled for the surface and his eyes opened slightly.

_Raven black hair…oh…oh…kami, let it be him!_

He forced his aching eyes open wide and sat up suddenly, the pain snapping across his body from end to end.

"B-byakuya!" he sobbed, grabbing the person who sat healing him.

He forced his eyes open wide and even though he knew to be thankful that someone had come for him, he felt the weight of loss shatter him again. He wrapped his arms around his childhood friend and let the tears come. It was safe for him to let down with her. They had never been able to hide anything from each other anyway. It felt right somehow, not to even try.

"It's going to be okay, Renji," Rukia said softly, continuing to flow healing reiatsu into his tormented body, "Urahara sent Ichigo and me to bring you and Akane back. He can hide us. He can keep us safe while we figure out what to do."

Renji nodded into her shoulder and took slow breaths to regain his composure. He set his head on her shoulder and sighed in relief.

"Rukia…he's a god, now. He's going to come after us…and I don't know what Urahara thinks he can do. All I know is that Byakuya believed that we could make things right again. So when we get to Urahara, I'll make sure we do what he suggested. It was the very last thing he said to me…and I won't forget it. Somehow, I think that Byakuya has given us the key to everything."

Rukia kissed him on the cheek.

"My brother is very wise," she told him, holding his face in her hands, "If he told you to do something, then you should listen to him…and make sure it is done, just as he said."

"Maybe his words are the key to everything…I have to find out."

Rukia reached over and turned off the shower.

"Then come and dry off, now. Ichigo and I will take you to find Akane and then we will get out of here!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"P-prince…?" Akane stammered, "You are one of the royal family?"

The boy nodded.

"I am sorry that I startled you. I was told by my father that I must conceal myself, so I found this closet and disguised my spiritual pressure. My father said that Aizen Sousuke was coming…and that if our family was to have any hope of survival that I must hide…and only reveal myself to you."

"To…me?"

Akane frowned and squinted. The boy was only a little taller and older than she was, but acted much older. She tilted her head, blinking cutely.

"You have Byakuya's eyes and Renji's red hair," the boy said, smiling at her, "My parents said you are one of the prettiest shinigamis that ever was born in the Seireitei. They also said that when you came to the palace, you would follow great evil, but you would leave great goodness and beauty in your wake."

Akane couldn't think of a response, so she merely gazed up at the boy's surprisingly tranquil face, large blue eyes and warm smile. There seemed to be an entrancing golden center in each eye. She didn't mean to stare, but she couldn't stop.

"Akane, I need your help to restore this kingdom. Abarai Renji must leave the spirit dimension and return to Urahara Kisuke. He must follow the instructions Byakuya gave him, or Aizen Sousuke will succeed in his plans. And we cannot allow that to happen. But when he goes, he must leave you behind with me. Aizen will follow him out of the spirit dimension. His colleagues will travel to the Seireitei to lead assaults on the noble families and the Gotei 13. As soon as they are gone, we will seal the spirit dimension so that they cannot return to it. We must hold them out while fate is changed, or all that we are trying to do will be lost."

"I don't understand," Akane said, blinking, "I'm too little to help. I don't even have my powers yet. I don't have a zanpakutou!"

Yasahiro smiled.

"Do not worry, Akane," he assured her, "You have everything you need within you for this mission. You and I will protect the spirit dimension and hold Aizen Sousuke and the others out while your father goes to set things right."

She still didn't see how she could make any difference, but there was something about the way the prince looked at her that made her trust him when he said that she would find what she needed within herself. Both of her fathers had said things like that to her before. Whenever she was frustrated, whenever she felt too small and weak, their words came back to her and helped her to keep trying…but in the past, it had been about smaller things. This was much bigger…still, she looked into the eyes of the prince and thought to herself that if he thought she could help, then he must know something she didn't. Byakuya had told her before that she should follow her instincts, that they were there to guide her, and that the voice that drove those instincts came from a place of knowledge and power so large that it could overcome anything.

_We are here to serve forces that are greater than we are. I assure you…though I look powerful to you, I am small compared to this supreme force. I hear its voice inside and I follow it fearlessly, because even though my powers, my body and my life may be taken, the heart is far stronger…and it still lives on, even at the end of all else. Trust this when you feel small, because this is the power that will protect you._

"Daddy Bya," she whispered, feeling his arms around her again.

Prince Yasahiro smiled.

"He is still with you," the boy said, "His voice has joined the one that speaks to you…and this will bring forth the power you need to survive…the power we need to complete our mission. And he speaks to Abarai Renji as well. His life was not supposed to end as it did. The power that took him was corrupt and vile. It sought to defy its destiny, but it has gone a step too far. Because even in death, Kuchiki Byakuya's power has not faded. As he drew his last breath, he set in Abarai Renji's hands the means to undo Aizen Sousuke's evil. When your father returns to the living world to find Diablo's Hourglass, Byakuya will be given a chance to overcome the evil that stole his future. Side by side again, your fathers will decide the fate of us all, Akane. They must be successful or all is lost."

Akane gazed into the strong, blue eyes and her hands clenched. She felt something like ice burning beneath her skin and felt the same feeling she always felt when surrounded by her fathers' protective powers. The beauty of petals, the deadly edge of slender blades, the screech of the rising skeletal snake, the hot blast of red fire…it left her head spinning as those powers wound tightly around her. They captured her and carried her out of the room, the palace, even out of the three known worlds and into a place she always knew she would someday find.

But she had never expected to find it so soon.

Her eyes widened and tried to see through the white mist that had suddenly surrounded her. Ever so slowly, it cleared and her inner world came into focus. It was beyond beautiful and contained everything that defined her…the most beautiful and expansive of gardens, sakura trees everywhere, volcanoes and rock and red fire…and over it all, stars and a moon so bright it brought tears to her eyes.

She felt afraid for a moment as she realized that Prince Yasahiro had disappeared. She usually didn't like being alone…but here, she didn't feel alone at all. Instead, she felt connected. She felt the connected inner worlds of her Aunt Rukia, of her fathers, of Kurosaki Ichigo and Urahara Kisuke, so many worlds…and they were all there with her. Kuchiki Akane had never felt less alone in her life.

She felt, suddenly, that someone was standing behind her. She turned and caught her breath is surprise. Her heart froze in her chest and everything around her seemed to stop…and Akane silently prayed that if this was only a dream that she could remain there forever. She looked up into the dark, smoky eyes that looked back at her, and she thought they must be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"Daddy Bya…" she whispered, hardly daring to believe.

Then she remembered.

"I felt your inner world, Daddy Bya. I thought that you died, but if it is still here…"

He stepped forward and lifted her into his arms.

"Then all is not lost," he told her.

She placed her hands on his face and he felt real enough. He had been in her dreams, but in the dreams, he always disappeared. She was never able to touch him.

"Are you real?" she asked, looking into his eyes again and knowing the answer already.

But she needed to hear it. She needed so badly to hear him say the words.

"Daddy Bya?"

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

"I am as real as you are," he assured her, "I have left the three worlds, but because of the twisting path ahead of me, I have not yet faded. I still have the chance to share the future with you. Renji will help me find my way back, but I need your help, too. Prince Yasahiro must seal the spirit dimension against the evil ones. To do this, he requires someone to join with his power, to hold the seal against whatever opposes it. Before, Aizen Sousuke used your brother to create Diablo's key. He will have no way to return now, so long as you and the prince hold the seal in place."

"But how will I help him? I don't have my powers. You didn't have yours until you were older than me…and neither did Daddy Ren!"

Byakuya rested his face against the top of her head.

"I told you. You will find what you need when you look inside yourself, Akane. You have done that. You have found your inner world. You know what you have to fight for and you are filled with resolve."

"But I'm not big or strong!"

"You are also not alone. I am here to help find your power. You must search this place, Akane. You must learn to hear the voice of the other part of yourself…"

The girl's eyes went as wide as saucers.

"My zanpakutou?" she whispered, "You mean that it is already here?"

"It has been here waiting for you since the moment you were conceived. While I laid, surrounded on all sides by evil, I reached out for the one beautiful thing left to me…the memory of Abarai Renji…and I made you from that. As you came into being, even then, just a tiny speck of promised life, I was shown the face of your zanpakutou…and so I knew even then you would be powerful. The time has come for you to take that power into your hands…and into your heart. You have watched Renji and me battle for the ones we hold dear, and you will be no different."

He set her down and dropped to his knees, bringing her down with him.

"You are Kuchiki Akane, a member of the noble house Kuchiki and possessing blood of the spirit king's royal line."

"What?"

"You are a distant cousin of the prince, but you are royalty still. This causes the bringing of your zanpakutou to you now, for know this…only two zanpakutou, wielded by members of the royal family can seal away the spirit dimension to keep Aizen from returning to it. You will listen for your zanpakutou's name…and when you hear it, you will call her."

He pulled her close and held her against his shoulder. Akane buried her face in his hair, in the light, sweet scent of sakura and closed her eyes. She reached out with her heart, seeking that other part of her that waited in the gardens, that part of her that was strong enough to fight, devoted to protecting, and proud enough to give everything to regaining what had been wrongfully taken.

Almost immediately, she felt the presence of her zanpakutou's spirit. Her reiatsu had the softness and fire of both of her two fathers, joined to bring forth power and beauty combined. Akane opened her eyes again and kissed Byakuya on the cheek, then climbed off of his lap and turned away from him. Trusting now that he was real, and that he would not disappear, she stepped forward, unafraid, passing through the gardens and searching the trees. She found the spirit in a meadow, standing and facing her, her body glowing with moonlight and her ruby red eyes glistening.

"Akane," the spirit whispered in greeting, "I have been waiting for you."

Akane stared as the woman before her dissolved into a cloud of tiny red flowers, then formed again into the body of a huge, red dragon. But this was like no dragon that Akane had ever dreamed of! Everything about her was slender and delicate, from the small, masked face to the long curled tail There was no odd bulkiness to her body and her scales were shiny and smooth. Dainty, leathery wings spread out on either side of her and she reared back, lifting her face towards the moon and sending a huge wave of red, five-pointed flowers spinning into the air.

Akane stood, staring at her in wonder. She ached to speak, but couldn't find the words. She felt the spirit coming closer and stepped forward to meet her. She could feel that, behind her, Byakuya was smiling proudly. Akane bowed her head and closed her eyes, listening harder than she ever had as the spirit's voice rose up in her mind. She felt her heart bind tightly to this other and the distance between them disappeared. Akane smiled and brushed a tear from her face, and she knew that from that moment, she would never be afraid of being alone again…because she wouldn't really be alone, now. She would always have this other part of herself that had found its way to her. A soft whisper of wind touched her face and the name rose to her lips. The spirit before her smiled expectantly as the girl's eyes opened again.

"Hana-Doragon," Akane said softly, "Hana-Doragon, my zanpakutou…"


	11. The Escape

**Chapter 11: The Escape**

"Do you have any idea when Aizen will come looking for you?" asked Ichigo as he and Rukia followed Renji to Akane's room.

"I'm not sure," Renji admitted, "because we haven't been here that long. We have to be careful, because he has a tendency to show up suddenly, especially when he knows I'm with Akane. The bastard's making a point of trying to drill into her that he's going to be…her…well, that he's going to marry me."

"It's not happening," Ichigo promised him.

"That is why we're here," Rukia added, "We're going to get the two of you out of here as fast as we can…no looking back. Kisuke says that we have to avoid a direct conflict with Aizen…just get back to Karakura Town and we'll go into a reiatsu cage until we figure out what to do."

"I have an idea," said Renji, "something that Bya said as he was dying. He told me to find Urahara and to tell him that I need to use Diablo's Hourglass. Have either of you heard of it?"

Rukia and Ichigo shook their heads.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Ichigo said, "Sorry, Renji."

"But that doesn't mean that Kisuke won't know," Rukia assured him.

"Yeah," agreed Renji, "That guy knows just about everything. And Bya sounded really sure…like he knew that Urahara would know what he was talking about."

They fell silent as they reached Akane's door. Renji opened the door and led the others inside, then closed the door behind them. Their eyes widened and they caught their breath in surprise as they found that Akane was not alone any longer, but was in the company of a boy who looked only a little older than she was, but whose power hummed in the confines of the room, leaving no doubt in their minds that he was a member of the royal family.

"H-how did you get here?" asked Renji, "I thought that Aizen Sousuke killed all of the royal family!"

The boy shook his head solemnly.

"He could not find the place where I was hidden, so I was able to survive. I am Prince Yasahiro."

He stepped closer to Renji and looked up into his eyes.

"Aizen Sousuke's treachery has been a great burden to your family, but know that your time of burden will end soon. But first, things must be put right. You must do as Byakuya has said…seek out Urahara Kisuke and convince him to allow you to use Diablo's Hourglass. There is great risk involved in its use, but it is the only means by which your son and Byakuya can be saved."

"Can you tell me anything about how it works?" Renji asked.

The boy shook his head.

"You must leave immediately. Aizen Sousuke is about to discover that you are missing from his room. He will come here. If you have not left, then you will be caught and Byakuya and Raiden will not be able to be saved."

Renji turned to Akane and saw that the girl was now dressed in a royal kimono and carried a short sword in her sash.

"Akane?" he said, frowning and staring.

The girl smiled and ran to Renji.

"Daddy Ren," she said excitedly, "I found my inner world! Daddy Bya was there…and he told me that it was time for me to find my zanpakutou."

"Akane is, like you, a child who carries royal blood. Because of this, I need her help. You and the others must leave quickly…"

"But Akane!"

"Aizen Sousuke will follow you out of the spirit dimension…and Akane and I will place a seal here to protect against his return. I cannot do this alone. I need another of royal blood to help me set the seal in place…and you must see to the use of Diablo's Hourglass. I will protect her with my powers, but once Aizen is gone and the seal is set, no one will be able to enter or leave the spirit dimension. The most important thing is setting the seal in place in time. As soon as Aizen leaves to follow you to Karakura town, we must do this…before Aizen can sense what we are about and before Gin and Tousen can return from their mission to the Seireitei."

Renji nodded in understanding, but his expression was tormented. Akane glanced at Prince Yasahiro, then stepped forward.

"Daddy Ren," she said, watching as he dropped to one knee, then racing forward to wrap her arms around him, "I know that you don't want to leave me…but Daddy Bya said that when you leave, I must stay and help Prince Yasahiro. I know my zanpakutou's name…and I promise that I will stay right with the prince. We will be all right…and you will save Daddy Bya and our baby Raiden! We will all be together again soon!"

Renji nodded.

"I know," he said, burying his face in her soft hair, "but you are all I have, right now…and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Abarai Renji," said the prince, "I give you my word that I will keep Akane safe from harm. She will be perfectly safe here, once the seal is set. But you cannot delay any longer. Go now and save your son and Byakuya. They wait for you to change their fate!"

Renji lifted his eyes and looked in the direction of the door.

"He's coming…let's go!"

Rukia, Renji and Ichigo ran to the big bay window and flash stepped away as the Prince led Akane out of the bedroom and into a set of hidden passages. Akane followed, the feeling of being without her fathers strange, but not so worrisome as before. The Prince held her hand gently as he led her down the passageway. They reached a hidden room and slipped inside, closing the door behind them.

"We will stay here until it is clear that Aizen Sousuke has left the dimension."

He gave her a friendly smile.

"I am glad you are here, Akane. I am glad not to be alone anymore."

XXXXXXXXXX

"I don't suppose that you guys can flash step any faster," muttered Renji, "I feel like Aizen is breathing down our necks!"

"Yeah," agreed Ichigo, "and his reiatsu is getting stronger by the minute. My back is practically on fire!"

"Just keep moving!" Rukia ordered, flash stepping ahead," We're almost there!"

They ran across a park and down a darkened street to Urahara's shop, pelting up the stairs and bursting inside. Kisuke stood at the front of the shop as they raced in, closing the door and shouting to the others to brace themselves. He raised his spirit energy until everything around them shook wildly. Renji backed up to a wall, watching as things fell off the shelves and crashed to the floor around him. Rukia held on to Renji and Ichigo stared as Urahara raised a protective reiatsu cage and set it into place around them. Slowly, the rumbling stopped and the building seemed to settle. The four stood in the shop, staring silently at each other. Finally, Kisuke broke the silence.

"Welcome back, kids. I see you managed to find Renji. What about Akane?"

"She stayed in the spirit dimension with a member of the royal family, who survived the massacre there."

"A member of the royal family survived?" Kisuke said, "That's good. At least something worked out in our favor!"

"They were planning to put a seal on the spirit dimension…after Aizen left to follow us."

Kisuke breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank kami for that!" he said, shaking his head, "He was powerful enough before, but now the bastard has become a god…"

He looked around at the shop and frowned discontentedly.

"Kisuke," said Ichigo, noting the shopkeeper's discomfort, "What's on your mind?"

Kisuke's eyes ran slowly around the room, touching each of them, then coming to rest on Yoruichi, who had just entered the room.

"I was just wondering," he said worriedly, "how long we can stay sealed away like this…before he manages to bust in here."

Renji looked incredulous.

"No one's ever broken into a reiatsu cage!" he said, "Kisuke, the whole concept of how it's constructed is…"

"He is a god, Renji. And if a god wants to find you, he's going to find you. The question isn't what to do if he finds you, it's what to do when he finds you!"

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait for him to come here and kill us and take Renji back. I mean, the seal on the spirit dimension will keep him out of there, but he will still be able to rain hellfire down on the other worlds."

"We have to do what we can to make sure that doesn't happen!" Renji said furiously.

"Well," said Kisuke, sighing, "Then I hope you have a strategy, because although we're all good on wanting to do something, strategy is turning out to be a bit of a problem here!"

Renji nodded.

"I know what to do."

Kisuke turned to look at him.

"You…"

"Diablo's Hourglass."

Kisuke's eyes widened and his reiatsu flared.

"You wanna run that by me again?" he asked. "Because I know I can't have heard you right!"

"Why?"

"Because you'd have to be out of your fucking mind to want to use that thing! Diablo's Hourglass, that's…it's just…"

"I think it's a sign of just how desperate things have gotten," said Ichigo, moving closer to Kisuke and looking up at him meaningfully.

Kisuke shook his head and closed his eyes.

"I know," he said, loosing a breath of frustration, 'You don't have to tell me things are desperate! Hell, I've been at it for days, trying to figure out what to do…and I've got nothing…but it never even crossed my mind to do something like that. Because the hourglass isn't even a chance, you understand? It's a damned trap! That's how it was built! It was built to lure in suckers with lots of power and a weakness for rolling the dice!"

"What is it?" asked Rukia, "What does it do?"

Kisuke opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Sit down," he said quietly, "Let me explain. And we'll see if you are still so eager to use it."

They sat down at the small table and Yoruichi set out tea for them. Kisuke looked up at her in gratitude and sipped at the tea, the worry rampant in his eyes.

"Hey," said Ichigo, moving closer and wrapping an arm around him, "I don't think I've ever seen you so up in arms about something like that."

Kisuke sighed and brought his face closer to Ichigo's

"That's because I don't _get_ cornered like this," he said, shaking his head, "I think of something and we make our escape…we do what we have to…but this…Damn it, Ichigo! We have enough problems with Aizen…but you understand, that if we try to use the hourglass…and we fail, we won't just have one evil god on our hands…"

"What?" said the others, staring.

"Diablo," said Kisuke, "It's not just the name of the hourglass…it's the name of the god trapped inside it!"

He gazed down into his teacup, frowning deeply.

"Diablo was an ancient hollow, who rose through the ranks and gathered a hell of a lot of power and followers. He raged across Hueco Mundo, destroying everything in his path. And when he was done, he attacked the living world with a vengeance. He just loved destruction. Well, an old shinigami named Michio, who had a sort of genius for creating odd gadgets built the hourglass as a trap to stop him. The tale is so old, no one really knows the how or why of it all, but what we do know is that Diablo is trapped in the hourglass. He waits inside there for fools to come along and seek to use his power to make their desires come true."

"Like a wishing well?" asked Rukia.

"That doesn't sound so bad," mused Renji.

"Yeah," Kisuke said sarcastically, "well, you don't know the half of it! It differs just a tad from your wishing well, because most wishing wells don't eat you."

"Come again?" said Ichigo.

"It eats you."

He looked around the table at the others' solemn faces.

"Diablo was trapped in the hourglass…but he still had his needs, one being the need to devour powerful reiatsu. He's starved for it. He also needed to have hope that he would one day escape and roam the three worlds again. He discovered a way…a way that he based on using the desires of his victims to lead them to their doom…a trap…a very tempting trap, using a person's deepest desire to bring it down around them."

"How does it work?" asked Renji.

"You first have to focus on the hourglass, open yourself to it, while holding your desire in your mind…then…the hourglass eats your reiatsu."

"What the fuck…?" gasped Ichigo, "It what?"

"It eats you. You are made a part of the hourglass and are taken down into it. There, it's been said that you meet Diablo, himself…and that he offers you a chance to escape with your life and your deepest desire…but you have to play a game…a game of chance. There's no one game that he always plays. He's a god…he does what he wants…and if you win his game, then you leave with your life and your desire. But if you lose, you have sacrificed all of yourself to him. Your power sinks into him, making him stronger and raising the odds that he will grow powerful enough to shatter the hourglass and break free."

"So…have many people tried it?" Renji asked.

"Oh yeah…well, at least they did before I got hold of it. Now, no one uses it."

"Have you ever known anyone who used it and survived?" asked Ichigo.

Kisuke and Yoruichi exchanged glances.

"One person," he said softly, "Kuchiki Byakuya."

Sounds of amazement and dismay broke out all around the table. Kisuke waited for the noise to die down, then cleared his throat.

"It was just after Hisana died. I think we can all guess what he wanted. He used the hourglass and he came back alive."

"But…" said Rukia, frowning in confusion, "my sister still died! If he won, wouldn't she have lived?"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" said Kisuke.

"So…what…did they tie?" asked Renji.

"There's no such thing as a tie in Diablo's games. If he came back alive, then he won…simple as that."

"But he refused to speak to anyone about what happened," Yoruichi said solemnly.

"Wait," said Ichigo, "I'm confused. Weren't you guys hiding out here at that time? And Byakuya didn't even know you were here…so how?"

"Kisuke sensed the use of the hourglass and I went to retrieve it. I stole it from the Kuchiki archive, where Byakuya placed it for safekeeping."

"I thought that only family members…actually only the clan leader could enter the archive."

"That's usually the case," chuckled Urahara, "but Yoruichi is particularly determined. She managed to get into the archive, stole the hourglass and brought it here. I didn't know that Byakuya knew I had it. But then, he could have sensed it when visiting the shop another time. He never asked about it directly, though. I think he wanted to forget it."

He looked at them meaningfully.

"And you should forget it, too. Look at Byakuya…he won and his wife still died. What does that tell you?"

Renji leaned forward and placed his hands on the table.

"Look," he said, his reiatsu flaring, "Byakuya was the one who told me to find you and to ask to use the hourglass. He said it was the only way. Kisuke, he used his dying breath to make sure I knew to do this! And if that isn't enough, the prince said…he said that I must do this…or everything's going to hell. Aizen has Gin and Tousen poised and ready to slaughter the noble families…to crush the Gotei 13. This is a different thing than just wanting to change one person's fate. Aizen already killed most of the royal family and their royal guard. We have to stop him. We have to use the hourglass!"

Kisuke met the redhead's eyes squarely and stared at him intently, as though gauging something in him. He broke his eyes away and rubbed his hands over his face defeatedly.

"All right…if you're that sure. We'll use the hourglass. But, don't blame me when things go from bad to worse…though looking at how bad things are now…I want to think there is no worse. But…I'll help you."


	12. Eaten Alive

**Chapter 12: Eaten Alive**

Renji stared at the odd looking, red hourglass wondering briefly how something so ordinary looking could house something that would unsettle a shinigami of Urahara Kisuke's caliber. But he had said that it was inhabited by a god…and having gotten a taste of the awful power of Aizen Sousuke in god form, Renji wasn't eager to move forward in using the hourglass…but it was the only way he knew to get back what he had lost.

He found suddenly that he had lost track of how many days he had endured since holding Byakuya in his arms and watching him die. The days all ran together, dark and pain-filled…the only sources of light being Akane, the devotion of Ichigo and Rukia, and Byakuya's dying words. He could get Raiden and Byakuya back…but he had to do as Byakuya said and use the hourglass. And despite his substantial fears, he was more than willing to do that. But he had to be careful. The god within the hourglass liked to play games, so when he descended into that place, he had to be prepared to sniff out the deception…

"Now, remember," Kisuke said solemnly, "we don't have forever. Aizen Sousuke won't sit still when he realizes you are gone. And he will not rest on his laurels and wait for you to come back to him. You can bet he'll use his fancy god powers to track you…and no reiatsu cage, no power, no rock you can crawl under will protect you. Your only hope is to crawl inside this hourglass and take your chance with the devil inside. Kind of a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, I'm all clear on that…" commented Renji dryly, "It's becoming a habit for me."

"I already had the others set up the monitoring connection," Kisuke went on, "This will keep them out of harm's way while you are in the hourglass. He can't reach them or you until the game is over. Ichigo and I are going to try to hold Aizen at bay until you come back."

Renji met his eyes respectfully, not eager to earn Kisuke's ire, but even more loathe to lie.

"You won't last for a minute," Renji said firmly, "And don't look me in the eye and tell me different. He'll kill you in a second. He's that powerful."

"But he won't be when you succeed in stopping him. You'll…"

The three men froze as the reiatsu cage began to shake from end to end with stunning force. Kisuke swore and glanced back at Ichigo, who had his hand on his weapon. He looked around helplessly as the cage shuddered again. And when he turned back, there was a glimmer of decisiveness in his eyes.

"Ichigo, Renji…I think we all know that this bastard is about to break in. We don't have time to set up a good defense…and maybe it's better if we don't try to."

"What're you talking about?" asked Ichigo, his eyes narrowing, "We can't let that bastard…"

"We won't," Kisuke assured him, "That bastard may get in…but we won't be here waiting to die. If he wants us so badly, then he can just try to find us in the hourglass. Let him try to face off with the devil. Maybe it will kill him."

"What the fuck?" breathed Renji, "You wanna run that by me again, because I know I misheard you. Did you say…you and Ichigo are coming with me?"

"Hey," said Kisuke, "A second ago you didn't want us to stay here and die, so our options are kinda limited. Besides, aren't you even the slightest bit curious how your sweet-faced lover beat the devil at his own game?"

"Fuck you! That's not why you're doing this," Renji laughed, cynically, "Aizen has us all cornered and this is the only way. Love it, hate it, whatever your heart tells you to do, but it's time to face the devil. Everything is at risk and to lose now means the end of everything that matters…to die now means the end of all our days. Come on! Let's do this…together!"

The reiatsu caged shook violently all around them and the walls began to glow red. The three shinigamis felt the overwhelming intensity of Aizen Sousuke's power and turned toward the hourglass.

"It's now or never," Kisuke's voice said softly, "Hell and damnation are before and behind us. Put your hands on the hourglass and when I say…release every ounce of your reiatsu…and brace yourselves. You are about to be eaten…"

He leaned over the hourglass, his hands joining theirs on the cool glass. Around them, the room continued to shake itself apart, slowly crumbling and opening the way for the powerful god who sought their destruction. Kisuke's lips moved and Renji and Ichigo strained to hear the soft sound that rose up underneath the continuing sounds of destruction.

"Diablo…zetsumei kokuou…maker of new fate…kuro shukun…accept this offering of flesh and power. Weaver of destiny…he who knows the blackness of the inner heart, listen to our hidden desires and bring us to the game…"

Kisuke looked up at the others, all of their faces lit with red fire that had swelled within the hourglass.

"Okay kids…last chance to get off this hellbent train and just be killed by Aizen. I think it would be less painful."

Their eyes silenced him.

"Hold on then," he said in a surprisingly serious and gentle tone, "Hold on tight and don't let go."

One hand slipped into Ichigo's and one into Renji's. All eyes were now fixed on the hourglass, their heads bent in concentration.

"Koufuku…omoi…"

The walls around them crumbled and fear engulfed their minds.

"Koufuku…karada…"

Seething red fire raked their flesh and drew their screams.

"Koufuku…chuushin…"

Their screams rose into wails of terror and pain.

"Gochisou!"

There was a frozen moment when the reiatsu cage shattered and Aizen's fiery god form rose up over them, roaring in fury, then they were falling together through fire and ash, through smoke and gray haze. And as they fell, they felt the power sucked out of them, the draining of their minds and the emptying of hopes and dreams. The ground came up so suddenly that there was no time to scream anew as they crashed into it and dust and rock exploded around them.

They lay still, their bodies shattered, minds barren and hearts torn. A tall, slender man with mingled red-gold eyes rose from his jeweled throne and approached them. His footsteps echoed dully on the stone as he closed the distance between them. He smiled down at their mangled corpses, smiled and touched them one by one. And as they were touched, their spirits emerged and hovered in the air before him.

"Ah," he said in a soft, curious tone, "I have visitors. It has been a long time. Abarai Renji, Kurosaki Ichigo and Urahara Kisuke…dare I trust my eyes?"

He paused, taking in the sight of them together, then looked up questioningly.

"And one is late to the party?"

Another body crashed into the ground. Diablo stepped forward, smiling widely. He gazed down at the newcomer.

"Aizen Sousuke," he said softly, touching the fallen form and bringing out his spirit.

The hollow god laughed coldly.

"My, it's just raining entrees today, isn't it? So…are we all here now?"

He looked around. Seeing no others arriving, he looked back at the four spirits awaiting him.

You have come to have your desires made real?" he said softly, "Many step to the gates of hell in desperation…when being angels fails and the good are thrown down and destroyed…but in your destruction is the key to your desires…those so deep within that they outlive the flesh…the mind, the body, the heart. And when you gave yourselves over to be eaten, I ate your desires as well. Now, your only way out of this place is to play my game."

His smile widened.

"Each of you has given me your deepest desire…one no one else knows. I offer them back to you in exchange for a game. If you win, you will return with life, heart, mind, body and desires fulfilled…but if you lose, you are sacrificed to me…your power made mine…and when my power has reached its pinnacle, the hourglass will shatter and I will be freed. So…will you play…or do you give in to me now?"

He laughed again, noting the raw fury in Aizen Sousuke's twisted features.

"Ah yes, not expecting this, were you? Drawn in on your quarry's coattails, ne? But you are sacrificed as well. But don't worry…either way, you will not die, Aizen Sousuke. I have better uses for you."

Diablo's eyes became dreamy as they watched Aizen's spirit form flare and dance with rage.

"Truly, you are enjoyable, Aizen Sousuke, but on to the game. As my greatest love is games of time and fate, I will offer all of you this. I will give you a mission no one else knows. Succeed in your mission and all is restored, and wishes fulfilled, but fail and you surrender yourselves to me."

He stepped forward and whispered something in Aizen Sousuke's ear. And as the others watched, the traitor's spirit form slowly faded. Diablo moved on to Urahara Kisuke and whispered in his ear next. The shopkeeper's head bowed and he faded as well. Diablo approached Ichigo next and whispered his mission to him. Then, he turned to Renji.

"I have told all of the others and I shall tell you. You are not allowed to reveal your mission to anyone. When you arrive in the time I will send you to, the game will begin. There is no time limit. You may take as long as you like, but if your mission fails, you will immediately be returned to my throne room and made part of me, do you understand?"

Renji swallowed hard and nodded.

"Very well," Diablo said, nodding, "Your mission is…to keep yourself and your baby alive. If either of you dies, you lose the game."

"What about Byakuya?"

The demon smiled.

"Don't be distracted, Abarai Renji. It could make you lose everything!"

"Wait! How do I know when I win? How long do we have to stay alive? And what about…?"

His questions dissolved into a blast of mind numbing fear as Renji found himself falling again. He forced the emotion down and let himself fall freely.

_Bya, I don't give a damn what it takes, I will save you both!_

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji shivered as sensation began to return and the air began to clear around him. His first realization was that he wasn't alone. A voice rose up out of the darkness, cracking painfully across his mind and shattering his heart all over again.

"Renji…"

_That bastard!_ Renji thought as the scene around him fell into place, _That sadistic son of a bitch! He knew exactly how to…_

"Ah…kami, Renji…why? Why did you stop?" the soft voice asked.

_Don't be distracted, huh? A fine game, indeed, knowing just what would…_

"Renji!"

He couldn't look down, because he knew the sight would be too beautiful and far too painful. He couldn't look down and see Byakuya, fully revealed, his hands clenching Renji's shoulders, his glowing white form bared and surrendered to pleasure, his back arched, dark eyes lit from within and glazed over with passion. He couldn't watch as pleasure overtook those serene features, couldn't let himself feel that strong body thrust forcefully upward into his, couldn't accept the whisper of hot breath against his skin, the hiss of gathering that preceded his cries of completion or the very fact of being buried in his body so suddenly…being returned to his arms so unexpectedly…

His body erupted into mind numbing waves of bliss, so strong that his eyes flew open and met Byakuya's. He loosed something between a howl of deep pleasure and a pained sob, releasing into the body that pulsed and writhed against his. He sank down and clung to the noble's softly heaving form, burying his face in the sakura scented hair to hide the tears that he couldn't hold back.

"Renji…" Byakuya moaned, his eyes drifting closed, "Aishiteru yo…aishiteru yo…aishiteru yo…"

The return of the words he had sobbed over his lover's dead body sent Renji into an oblivion of pain, the likes of which he had never experienced. Even being eaten by Diablo on his way into this nightmare could not hold a candle to waking so suddenly back in his lost lover's arms. He wrapped his arms around Byakuya's naked, sweat drenched form and let the all of the grief he had been holding back, pour out of him in hard, wrenching cries that were instantly muffled as Byakuya's arms tightened around him.

"Renji…Renji…my love! What is it? Did I…hurt you in some way?" Byakuya whispered against his ear.

Renji shook his head and sobbed harder, unable to contain the despair any longer. He hated himself for letting the demon get to him like this so quickly, but some part of him realized that he should have expected such a move. Unfortunately, that didn't help him to stop the cries that continued to escape him, or the tears that rained down his face.

He pushed himself to his knees, trying desperately to pull free of the other, but Byakuya moved with him, kneeling behind him and wrapping a gentle arm around his body, rubbing his lower abdomen and running the fingers of the other hand through his hair. The soft skin of his face pressed lightly against Renji's drenched cheek.

"Renji," he whispered soothingly, "Mou nakanaide ne? (Please don't cry anymore, okay?) Renji?"

Renji swallowed hard and forced his body to calm. He breathed quietly, resting in Byakuya's arms, lulled by the comforting touches on his abdomen and through the lengths of his hair. He caught sight of the pale left hand as it moved from his hair to his face.

Renji snatched up the soft, undamaged hand and stared, then burst into tears again, holding Byakuya's hand protectively and pressing it to his chest, over his heart. He raised it to his lips and kissed each fingertip, the warm palm and sensitive wrist.

"Renji, what is it? What's wrong? Please tell me?" Byakuya pleaded softly, pulling his hand free and moving so that he knelt in front of the redhead.

He took several tissues from the box on the nightstand and carefully dried his lover's tears, then sat back, gazing at him worriedly.

"Is it the baby?" he asked.

Renji looked up suddenly.

"Raiden," he said, nearly sobbing again.

"What?" Byakuya queried, looking confused, "Renji…you're frightening me. Are you…all right? Should I call for Hanatarou?"

And then it struck him just where he was, when he was…and what was happening…

_It's all part of his sick, twisted game. He knew…he knew just how to get to me, to hurt me…and he's using it to try to make me fail in my mission. But I won't fail…I won't…I won't lose Raiden or Byakuya this time!_

_(A/N** Japanese translations...Koufuku omoi, koufuku karada, koufuku chuushin = Surrender mind, surrender body, surrender heart...Gouchisu = feast)_


	13. Protection

**Chapter 13: Protection**

Aizen Sousuke woke up in pain. It was pain grown familiar…and pain of the past that was still close enough to be remembered, recognized for what it was, and accepted. He opened his eyes and met Gin's calmly. He had to be careful not to give himself or his mission away.

"Well," said Gin approvingly, "you look better today, Sousuke. That treatment your healer gave you seems to have worked. But I do hope you'll take the hint and avoid tangling with Kuchiki Byakuya for a bit. He nearly killed you and himself with that attack you taught him."

"I don't need a reminder, Gin," Aizen said dryly, "I was there."

"Yes, there…and extremely reckless, it seems. If I hadn't been there when you crawled out of that mess…"

"Didn't I give you something to do?"

"Ah, yes. I ran the panel on Kuchiki Akane's blood and reiatsu that was stored after her birth here and came up with something odd."

"What is that?" Aizen asked, his lips curling into a knowing smile.

"It seems that someone close to her has more than a little bit of royal blood."

"I see…" said Aizen, sitting up slowly, "Royal blood, you say."

"Yes…and we know it's not Byakuya's, because we had him here and had numerous exposures to his blood and reiatsu and never found a sign of it. Now, if we knew the father…"

Gin stopped and stared questioningly as Aizen Sousuke began to laugh.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry, Bya," Renji said, taking the teacup from his lover's hand, "You don't have to do this…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Byakuya chided him gently, "Remember, you are carrying our child. It wasn't so long ago that I was carrying Akane…and I did have very strong mood swings sometimes."

Renji thought carefully, then looked up at Byakuya, his eyes filling with determination.

"Byakuya, I have to tell you something…but before I do, I need to know that you will believe me…even if you don't think what I say could be true."

"I don't understand," Byakuya said, furrowing his brow, "What do you mean?"

"I didn't have a mood swing."

"You didn't?" Byakuya queried, "Then, what was it? You were very upset. You worried me…"

"I had a…sudden vision…and Byakuya, I think that vision is more than just my fears getting to me. I think it is a warning."

He moved closer, wrapping his arms around the noble and pulling him close. Byakuya settled against his chest, letting his head drop onto the redhead's shoulder.

"A warning? What kind of warning?" he asked.

"I had a vision…a vision of Aizen Sousuke."

Byakuya's eyes grew dark and sympathetic.

"Oh…Renji…"

"I know everyone believes he is dead. I know Akane and your cousin saw the pieces of his shattered weapon…but when the wreckage was cleared, it was gone. It was never seen again."

Byakuya pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes. And Renji knew why. Byakuya was an expert at reading people. And, sure enough, a moment later, he sighed softly and nodded.

"And despite no one having seen any sign of him, you believe he is alive?" he asked.

"I do," Renji said, resolutely, "I'll be honest with you, Bya. I have nothing to back up what I say…only that I feel it very strongly in my heart."

Byakuya lowered his hand to rest on Renji's slightly distended abdomen. Renji's rougher hand dropped down and settled on his. Byakuya's eyes rose to meet Renji's again questioningly. He caught his breath softly.

"Kami, Renji…your eyes…you're in so much pain. Why? What is doing this to you?" Byakuya asked, looking down at their joined hands.

"I…I saw you die. Aizen Sousuke killed you," Renji said, his voice shaking, "You were trying to defend our baby."

"Renji…" Byakuya whispered.

"It wouldn't be the first time we thought him dead. We all thought he died when we found you. But everything about that was fake. Isn't it possible that his death this time is fake? Don't we owe to ourselves and to our kids to be careful? To be on our guard as long as we don't know for sure?"

Byakuya sat up and brought Renji up with him. He put his hands on each side of the redhead's face and kissed his lips gently.

"Abarai Renji, you have been on guard, watching out for me and for our daughter ever since we came back to you. You have had not a moment of peace this whole time. The strain must have been unbearable for you. And I have been unable to be of any real use. I've been too weak…and now I'm even weaker. I have no powers to comfort you with, no way to say that I'll protect you and our children…but I will do everything I can. I will rally our friends around us…and even though I cannot protect you, I can offer you their protection."

Renji met his eyes, hardly daring to believe.

"You…you don't think I'm crazy? You don't think I'm wrong?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"You're not crazy, Renji. And if you're heart tells you that we should be wary, then we will be. I trust your judgment. I trust you."

Renji dropped his head onto the noble's warm shoulder.

"Thank you, Bya!" he said softly, barely holding back his tears, "I thought you would think I was just being paranoid…or overly emotional…"

"Would you think that I was…if I said those words to you?" Byakuya asked, pressing his lips to Renji's throat, "You needn't answer, because I already know what your answer would be."

Renji rested quietly in Byakuya's arms, letting the softness of his skin and the sakura scent play over his senses. Byakuya ran his fingers through the long red hair and held Renji against him, watching as he drifted near sleep.

"Bya…" Renji whispered, keeping his eyes closed, "you're wrong about something."

"Oh?" Byakuya queried, making a line of kisses down Renji's throat, "What am I mistaken about?"

Renji nuzzled more deeply into his arms.

"You're not now, nor have you ever been useless. And it doesn't matter that you don't have your shinigami powers right now. You are and always will be a strong person. And I know…that if danger comes, you will do everything you can…and more…to protect us. You would give anything. You would give _everything_."

He waited for the noble to answer, but Byakuya remained silent. He rested his face against Renji's and let his hands slowly explore the redhead's body beneath the opened yukata. Renji leaned into his touches, feeling a burning in his eyes again.

"Aishiteru yo, Bya," Renji whispered.

"Aishiteru yo…Renji," Byakuya replied lowering him down onto his back.

Renji tried to close his eyes so that he wouldn't see the noble's lovely, moonlit form bending over him, but even closing his eyes couldn't take away his awareness of the dark, beautiful eyes that traveled over the length and breadth of his bared body. He wondered if those eyes could see all of the way through to his soul…if that calm, quiet mind could reach into him and somehow know to listen when all logic said he should not. There _had_ to be a reason why Byakuya had listened…had not tried to talk him out of his concerns…had instead believed and trusted. It could, perhaps, have been the fact that Aizen had faked his death before, but the more Renji thought about it, the more it seemed as though it was not a logical thing, but a sign of the trust between them. And now that the trust had been given, Renji felt he had to do everything possible to protect them…to protect them all!

He sat up, causing Byakuya to move back and release him. The noble stared silently as Renji's hands cupped his face gently.

"I want you to take Akane and go to Karakura Town. I want you to stay there for a while."

"Renji…why?"

"Just…please, trust me. I think it would be best. You said we should surround ourselves with our friends…and you were right. We should do that. I will join you in Karakura Town in a few days. I just…I have something that I have to do first."

Byakuya's dark eyes blinked slowly. He gazed at Renji wordlessly for several long minutes before bowing his head slightly.

"If you feel it is best, then I shall tell Akane that we are going to visit our friends there. But Renji, whatever it is that you are planning to do, I want you to promise me…that you will not go alone. When you do whatever it is that you are planning, I want you to take Ichigo with you. I may be powerless, but he is not. He will keep you and our baby safe. So you must agree to do this only with him."

Renji stared for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Good," Byakuya sighed, "now, at least I know you'll be protected by someone powerful…even if that person isn't me."

"Bya," Renji said, wrapping his arms tightly around the noble, "you don't need your shinigami powers to be powerful. Your heart makes you powerful, even with no powers at all."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisuke opened his eyes and found himself lying in his bed, naked and wrapped around another warm body. Smiling and shaking his head, he nudged the unmoving form he held in his arms.

"Hey, you wanna wake up and get started?" he asked in a low voice, "Or are you just planning to lie there and let fate walk all over us?"

Ichigo groaned and shoved him away, mumbling something incoherent. Kisuke laughed softly and pulled him close again. Ichigo yawned and opened a discontented eye.

"Do you even _know_ what time it is?" he mumbled.

"Yeah," Kisuke said, "and apparently Diablo knew what he was doing when he plunked us down here. He knew he could gain an advantage, because you'd lie there sleeping instead of getting up and to it!"

Ichigo turned and brought his face close to Kisuke's.

"Well, maybe I'd be up and busy doing something if you found a better way to give a guy a wakeup call."

"A better wakeup call, huh?" the shopkeeper said, grinning, "I think I can accommodate you…but we'd best not take too long. I'd wager it won't be too long before fate just comes busting through our door."

"Well fate can just take a number," Ichigo said, wrapping his arms around Kisuke and pulling him down.

Power flared around the two, making the room rumble softly.

"Ah…waking up, I see," mumbled Kisuke, "And I haven't even gotten started."

He climbed onto his knees, pulling the youth up with him. He leaned forward, licking his way along his lover's lips, then thrusting his tongue inside the hot, willing mouth, chasing Ichigo's tongue with his own. His hands wrapped around the youth's firm buttocks, pulling him closer and bringing their swollen members together. His mouth left Ichigo's and found the sweet flesh of his throat, and he paused, running his tongue up its length several times before clamping down and sucking hard until the youth gave a groan of pleasure and began moving his hips, rubbing his length up and down Kisuke's. One arm curled around the youth, pulling him tight against the elder shinigami's body, while the fingers of the other hand slid down and sought the tight entrance. Ichigo's mouth found Kisuke's again and the two exchanged a flurry of hard, hungry kisses. Their eyes met and narrowed playfully, then Kisuke surged forward, throwing the younger shinigami down onto his back and trapping his lithe, athletic body. He nudged the youth's thighs apart and pushed into the tight entrance, bringing his mouth down on Ichigo's and devouring the moans of pleasure he released as their bodies joined and started to move. Ichigo's legs wrapped tightly around the body above his and he thrust his hips upward. Kisuke groaned with pleasure and let his eyes slide shut. His hand reached down between them and wrapped around Ichigo's length, pleasuring it as they moved together. Shifting slightly, Kisuke found the center of pleasure that made the youth's head roll back, his body arch and his mouth open in a howl of pleasure. Ichigo's body shook underneath the other's and hot seed erupted out of him and burned against their still writhing bodies. The elder shinigami held on to the youth tightly, emptying himself inside him. He remained there, braced and panting hard above Ichigo and smiled down at him.

"Awake…now?" he asked, leaning down and kissing him again.

Ichigo grinned back at him.

"Oh yeah…wide awake, now…thanks!" he panted in return.

"Good!" the shopkeeper said, his smile widening, "Because it looks like fate just found us."

Ichigo groaned and rolled his eyes as he spotted the hell butterfly hovering next to his lover's head.

_Ichigo, _said Renji's voice,_ Byakuya and Akane are on their way to Karakura town. I need your help with something and Byakuya and Akane will need a place to stay protected while we are gone. I'll explain more when you get here, but I'll need to tell you privately. I don't want Byakuya to know what I'm going to do. He wouldn't understand and he would try to stop me. Meet me at the shinigami fortress in Hueco Mundo. I'll fill you in when you get there…and don't say anything to Byakuya. He still hasn't regained his shinigami powers and I don't want him anywhere near this…_

"Sounds dangerous," commented Kisuke, "I'll have Tessai prepare a couple of rooms for our visitors. You should get moving."

Ichigo sighed and rolled to his feet. He wrapped his yukata around him and turned toward the shower.

"You got time to join me for a shower?" he asked.

"Sure," smiled Kisuke, "Go on, I'll be there in a minute."

He watched Ichigo leave, then turned his head to look out the window, where the sun was beginning to rise.

"On your way here already?" he whispered, "I thought I'd have a few days to prepare, but it looks like we'll have to go into this blind…Byakuya."

He sighed and shook his head worriedly, then climbed to his feet and left to join Ichigo in the shower.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya turned his head and smiled down at Akane as the two stepped into the living world.

"Will we see Yoruichi?" asked the girl, stroking the black cat she held in her arms, "I want to show her Beautiful Bya."

"I am certain that Yoruichi will be there," Byakuya said, turning her in the direction of the shop.

They had only gone a few steps, when a man appeared on the path in front of them. Byakuya's eyes widened and he moved to push Akane behind him.

"Run for the shop!" Byakuya told her, "Don't stop until you get there!"

He heard her feet pounding on the path and breathed a sigh of relief. But the feeling didn't last long. He knew already that running would be useless without his flash step, so he set a foot back and waited calmly as the other drew closer.

"So…Renji was right. It was just another lie," Byakuya said quietly.

"I never pretended to be dead," said Aizen, closing in on the noble, "I was recovering. Your attack was nearly enough to actually kill me. But now you are paying the price, aren't you? I sense you have no powers. But don't worry, Byakuya. I do not seek to do you or Akane any harm. I have no interest in that at all. But I do need to make sure that you do not involve yourself in what I am about to do. So I will put you in a place where you will be safe until I return for you."

Byakuya felt the rise of power and knew there was no choice, but to run. He turned away and spun to the side, placing several trees between them as Aizen fired a binding spell at him. He broke into a run and rolled aside as another binding spell flashed past him.

"You can't escape. Byakuya, I'm not even trying to hurt you…but I know you. I know you will get in the way of my plans and I cannot afford for that to happen. Let me seal you away until this is over…then you and Akane can come with me to the spirit dimension…and I promise, I will not hurt you again. That is in the past. But you have to stop fighting me. If you don't, you will force me to inflict pain. I know you don't want that…"

Byakuya pressed his body against a large tree and held his breath as Aizen scanned the area, searching for him. His heart began to race as he suddenly found that he could no longer sense the other's position. He barely moved in time to avoid a binding spell, fired from only a few feet away, then tore himself away from the hand that grabbed his arm and sprinted away again. He turned a corner and saw the shop appear in the distance.

He was halfway there when an arm wrapped around his waist and he was taken to the ground. His hands were quickly bound and he was dragged to his feet.

"You always make things difficult," Aizen said, glowering at him, "That's why I had to kill you before, but it won't happen this time, Byakuya. I won't allow it."

"What are you talking about? You've gone mad! Let me go! I won't let you hurt Renji! You're going to hurt him, aren't you? That's why you're doing this!"

"You have to understand…this is the only way, now. He has royal blood, Byakuya…so his baby…your baby…can be used to make Diablo's key."

"No!" screamed Byakuya, struggling wildly, "I won't let you! Let me go, damn you! Let me go!"

Fire exploded suddenly around the two and Aizen flash stepped backwards, choking on the sudden cloud of smoke. As it cleared, he saw Urahara Kisuke holding the still bound noble against him and holding his zanpakutou ready.

"Didn't you know it's not nice to waylay the powerless?" Kisuke spat, "Why don't you go and pick on someone who can fight back?"

He didn't wait for an answer, but flash stepped away, carrying the angrily sputtering noble. Aizen watched, frowning as they disappeared into the shop, then flash stepped away.

Kisuke set Byakuya down and knelt in front of him.

"Unbind me at once!" the noble raged, "I have to get to Renji! He's going to…"

"You can't do that," Urahara told him, looking sympathetic, "Like it or no, you have no powers to fight him with."

"I can't let him have Renji! He's going to kill Renji and use our baby to make Diablo's key!"

"Okay…okay, we'll find a way to stop him, but you have to calm down first. We have some time. Aizen won't want to chance taking the baby early. He'll wait for Renji to go into labor…"

"You don't know that!" Byakuya cried, "He could force the delivery at any time! We don't have time to…"

"Well, we're going to make time. I need time to restore your powers or no one's going anywhere. But since you look like you're not about to listen to reason…"

"Unbind me! Uarahara!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Kisuke raised his reiatsu and formed a reiatsu cage around them. Sensing the formation of the cage, Byakuya threw himself against the bindings.

"How dare you!" Byakuya yelled, "Unbind me and let me out of here or I'll…"

"Calm down," the shopkeeper said quietly, "Akane will hear you. I'm having Yoruichi take her somewhere safe until this is over. I want you to calm down before you kill yourself stressing out like this. The cage is temporary. I'm not going to stop you from going after Renji, but I'm going to make sure that when you do, you have something to fight that crazy bastard with. I'm working as fast as I can, but I can't have you running off before I have you fully restored. I'm on your side, Byakuya. Now just relax and stay put."

"I don't care what it takes," Byakuya hissed, "I will regain my powers…and when I do, I will save Renji."

He paused for a moment, his chest heaving with fury.

"And when I'm done with that, I'm coming after _you_!"

Kisuke laughed softly and stepped out of the cage. As it started to close, he released the bindings that held Byakuya. The noble surged to his feet and shot toward the closing cage door. Kisuke winced at the sound of the impact as the cage slammed shut and the noble's body slammed against it.

Inside the reiatsu cage, Byakuya beat his fists against the door, his voice ringing with threats and promises of violence.

"Let me out!" he gasped, sliding down the door, "You can't keep me in here…"

He sat with his back against the door, his shoulders slumping in defeat and his breath still catching with emotion.

"Renji…" he moaned softly, "Renji…"


	14. The Footsteps of my Beloved

**Chapter 14: The Footsteps of My Beloved**

"So are you going to tell me why you called me to Hueco Mundo or do I just have to guess?" asked Ichigo as he followed Renji out of the Shinigami fortress and into the open desert.

"I'll tell you as we go," said the redhead, flash stepping to the last sentry point.

He bowed to the sentry and produced what looked to Ichigo to be an official taichou's order. The substitute shinigami waited until the sentry waved them through the checkpoint and they had passed into enemy territory to question him.

"Let me guess," he said quietly, "You're going after Aizen."

Renji stopped and waited as Ichigo joined him. He gazed at his friend's face in the darkness.

"Of course I'm going after him, Ichigo. Let's be honest. You know what he did to Byakuya and our baby. I'm not letting it happen!" Renji insisted.

"But Renji…you have to remember…we have things to focus on as we do this."

"I know…and I'm keeping that in mind. I won't fail, but I also won't let that bastard take them away from me again!"

"Listen to me, Renji," said Ichigo, taking his friend by the arm, "Just try to remember that you are the one having the baby. If you do the wrong things here, Raiden will never even be born and everything will get screwed up anyway!"

"You don't think I know that?" yelled Renji, tears forming in his eyes, "Ichigo, you were there! You were there the day that fucking bastard stole the best thing that ever happened to me! When he reached into my heart and tore Byakuya out of my life for five damned years! He took the beautiful, powerful lover I knew and turned him into complete wreck…and all of the time Byakuya was gone, I was searching, crying or making myself so goddamned drunk I couldn't see straight, because I didn't want to let myself THINK about what that son of a bitch was doing to my lover!"

He took a shaky breath and brushed the tears from his face.

"I thought what I imagined was bad…but then, after…after he came back, we became linked so that our inner worlds joined. And part of that process was mind sharing, Ichigo. We gave each other our memories. It was like walking through his whole life and seeing everything. He wanted to stop, because he didn't want me…"

He bit back a sob.

"H-he didn't want me to know how bad it was while he was Aizen's captive. He was evil, Ichigo…and once he knew Byakuya was pregnant, he knew that he wasn't going to refuse to do anything anymore. Byakuya stopped fighting for himself and did everything that bastard wanted, because he wanted to protect our little girl! And Aizen didn't just make him hurt, Ichigo. He tore Byakuya to pieces. He was a man with huge amounts of power…so much pride…but everything gave way. Ichigo, if not for his wanting to protect Akane…Byakuya would have killed himself. He thought it a thousand times as Aizen was torturing and raping him…as he was looking him in the eyes and saying things cruel enough to shatter a person's soul!"

"Renji…" Ichigo whispered, his eyes filled with sympathy.

"You have no idea, Ichigo…no one does, the amount of strength it took him to put himself back together…and even then, the only reason he could was because of our family. He didn't waste time thinking about what Aizen had done or wanting vengeance for himself. His only concern was keeping that son of a bitch away from the rest of us! And in the end, he practically destroyed himself to take Aizen down. He didn't give a damn that using that attack nearly cost him all of his shinigami powers. He was willing to give everything. And we thought it was enough to protect us! But then came the worst torment. After everything he went through, the blood and tears he gave to protect us, Aizen came back and took Raiden…"

Renji stopped speaking for several moment, wiping his eyes and breathing slowly to regain his composure.

"Ichigo…He made Byakuya watch as he destroyed Raiden to make Diablo's Key. And after all he'd done to protect everyone, Byakuya went beyond even that. He practically tore his own hand off to free himself, then destroyed his own body fighting. And while that son of a bitch held him and watched the life draining out of him, Byakuya sacrificed his pride to protect us again. He pleaded with Aizen to leave Akane and me alone. And when I got there, he gave up his last breath telling me a way to save, not him…Raiden."

Renji stopped again and drew an agonized breath.

"You know what Aizen did to us, Ichigo…how he took my lover apart. And you know how he treated Byakuya's plea for him to leave us alone. He took Akane and me…and he started the whole thing over…doing to me what he'd done to Byakuya. And now…I have no choice. I can't sit back, knowing what he's going to do to us and not go after him. It's the only thing I can do. Ichigo…all along, all I've wanted was to help Byakuya recover…and to help keep all of us safe…but I've failed Byakuya in every way! I failed as his fukutaichou…and he was caught and held captive. I failed as his lover and he and Raiden both died…and then I failed Akane and we became his captives in the spirit dimension! Don't you see, Ichigo? I have got to do what Byakuya can't do anymore. If I couldn't save him and he died because I wasn't strong enough to protect him then…I h-have to protect him now! I will die inside if I don't do that!"

He choked on a sobbing breath.

"And I will kill Aizen and anyone who tries to stop me from reaching him…"

He fell silent and dropped onto his knees in the sand, shivering. Ichigo knelt next to him, half turned. He rested a hand on the redhead's trembling shoulder and his eyes met Renji's bracingly.

"Abarai Renji," he said softly, "I hear what you're saying…and I agree that Aizen deserves to die. But you need to think differently about things or you're going to tear yourself apart and you won't have anything left to fight him with. You have to stop thinking that you failed Byakuya. You have fought alongside him all of this time…and I know he loves you for that. Maybe you couldn't stop Aizen from taking him, breaking him apart like that, or from killing Raiden and him…but Byakuya handed you his trust. He entrusted you with the task of using Diablo's Hourglass to make things right again. And even though things will never really be completely right…at very least, you can honor the trust he placed in you. But to do that, you have to think clearly. You have to force down what you want to do to Aizen and consider your moves carefully. Byakuya loves you and he believes in you. He's waiting for you to hand him a miracle and he believes you'll give him one."

He paused and looked down deeply into the redhead's teary eyes.

"I believe in you too. Because you have always been there to give him miracles. Renji, you were the one who picked him up and carried him out of Las Noches. You stayed beside him and put the broken pieces of him back together. You have been at his side constantly, letting him know he wasn't alone in his struggle against Aizen anymore…and you are the one who still gives him hope now."

"He's dead, Ichigo. You know this game…this place…it's not real…it's not…"

Tears streamed down the redhead's face and he collapsed against Ichigo, nearly sobbing.

"I know it's not, because when I woke up here, I woke up in bed with Byakuya. I woke up and was making love to him, looking down into those eyes and…he was smiling…and so damned happy. His whole body was shaking. That's how I knew it couldn't be real, Ichigo."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked softly.

"A fuck up like me could never make someone like him so happy…could never cause someone like him so much pleasure…"

He sighed deeply, relaxing his body against Ichigo's.

"This is a fucking dream…unreal. The only real thing here is that Aizen is here…and because of the game, he is still weakened from Byakuya's attack at the Kuchiki Council hall and he won't have his god powers yet. I have a chance to kill him for what he did to Byakuya and Raiden. I know I have a mission Diablo gave me, but I have a mission of my own. I'm going to kill him, Ichigo. I'm going to fucking kill him!"

"I believe I would like to see you try that…" said a soft, deceptively gentle voice.

Before the two could move, a flash step sounded and Ichigo cried out in shock and pain. Blood exploded around them and the ginger-haired shinigami plunged to the ground, leaving Renji, staggering to his feet and drawing his blade. He took hold of Ichigo and flash stepped clear, then stood, holding the injured youth against him and Zabimaru in his other hand.

Aizen gazed at him quietly, holding his own weapon ready.

"You don't stand a chance," he said softly, "You might as well give up. Your friend is dying. I will allow you to heal him enough not to die…and then we will go to Las Noches."

"Over my dead body, you son of a bitch!" Renji yelled, setting Ichigo down gently and raising his reiatsu until it flared red around him.

Aizen sighed.

"You really don't want to do this, Renji. I could kill you in a heartbeat…you and your baby!"

Renji's eyes narrowed.

"Of course you could kill me…but you won't, will you? You won't kill me, because you need _him_! So…go ahead, if you want to die. Strike at me. I dare you!"

"R-renji…" moaned Ichigo, "Ren…don't…"

"It's going to be okay, Ichigo," Renji said in a strangely calm voice.

He summoned a hell butterfly and whispered to it, then sent it fluttering away. He knelt next to Ichigo as Aizen stood, quietly watching him heal the substitute shinigami. The leader of the hollows made no move, but only gazed at the two and slid his weapon back into its sheath. Renji finished the healing and sat back.

"You'll be all right now, Ichigo. I've summoned help. I'm going to do what I have to do. I need to ask you a favor. If…anything happens to me…tell Bya…tell him that I love him."

"You can tell him yourself…when you come back," said Ichigo, panting softly against the pain, "Hang on, Renji. We're going to come for you."

Renji's eyes flared.

"Do what you have to, Ichigo," he said, standing, "but keep Bya out of this. Don't let him come to Las Noches…no matter what!"

Renji glanced down at Ichigo one last time, then followed Aizen in the direction of the fortress.

XXXXXXXXXX

Urahara Kisuke squinted slightly as he pored over Kuchiki Byakuya's medical records, searching for a way to return his shinigami powers to him. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he studied every small notation, paying close attention to the one spirit center that Ichimaru Gin had altered. He read and reread every summation of the noble's current condition, trying to find a way to do the impossible. Because there had to be a way. Diablo was cruel and deceptive, but he would have left a way for Urahara to win, no matter how small.

As he worked, he could feel the strength of Byakuya's emotion rising inside the reiatsu cage. He might not have his shinigami powers, but the raw emotion was causing stirrings of those already strained spirit centers.

"But if he sends anything through them, he'll fry himself and not be able to flow or absorb reiatsu…like when he died in the fight with Aizen. Come on…come on…it's here somewhere…think…"

He had considered and discarded a hundred possibilities, some promising, but all lacking any true hope of success.

"I have to give him the power to match Aizen…Damn! I know it's here somewhere! I know it…"

He turned to the information on hollowfication and considered it. Byakuya was desperate enough to take whatever path he offered…but each one had its pitfalls…and while hollowfication would give him access to great firepower, it would also overwhelm his spirit centers…so, he reasoned, it was the spirit centers that demanded his immediate attention.

He felt Byakuya's emotions flare and the warning touch of power that told him it wouldn't be long before the noble lost control and fried his spirit centers breaking out of the cage. He considered letting Byakuya loose, but had too much to lose should he decide to run.

_Byakuya,_ he sent into the reiatsu cage, _I am making progress, but you have to calm down or you are going to end our chances of doing this before we even start…_

He turned his attention back to the imaging of the noble's spirit centers, studying the altered one carefully and then tapping the image and widening his eyes.

"Okay…okay…it looks like Gin forced the center to its most open position and paralyzed the receptors that allow the center to widen and contract as they control the flow of power. So then…when he used his power, he couldn't control the amount. It came out full power with no restrictions…within limits because it was one receptor, but I need to do something to affect all of them…"

He felt a surge of power within the reiatsu cage and sighed in frustration.

_Byakuya…you have to stop…_

But the power was already building as the noble prepared to self-destruct. Urahara's brow furrowed and he turned away from the research. He reached over to the nearby table and picked up two black bands connected by a sturdy kido cord. He slipped one band around his wrist and took a breath in preparation. Then, he swiftly opened the reiatsu cage and shot into it, flash stepping to the noble and slipping the second band around his wrist.

"What in kami's name are you doing?" the enraged taichou hissed, trying to pull the device off of his wrist and failing.

"I'm making sure you don't leave here without your powers," Urahara said evenly, "I know right now that you don't give a damn about yourself…and if I let you go, you will kill yourself to save them…and you don't know this, but when it happened before, I found myself wishing I had had the chance to do something different…so that you could have regained your powers the right way."

Byakuya paused, a curious look in his still sparking eyes.

"Byakuya…you aren't the only one that man has torn apart…and you aren't the only one who wants to see him pay and to save Renji. We all are working towards those things…but we have to work together and stay within certain boundaries…and despite what we feel…how much we want to go and help them…we…"

He paused, thinking carefully.

"What is it?" asked Byakuya.

Kisuke's head turned toward him slowly.

"We…have to work…together," he said slowly, his eyes hazy and intense.

_Is it possible? Is it anything but insane? Could this be the answer?_

"Urahara?" Byakuya queried, staring.

Kisuke's lips curled into a slow smile.

"I have it," he said softly, "I know how to give you back your powers…"

His smile widened as he saw Byakuya's body relax and the tension between them seep away.

"What do we do?"

"I have transplant machine…"

Byakuya looked at him blankly.

"I said that we have to work together. And I know a way we can, Byakuya. Your spirit centers are fried. You can't use them anymore. You can't use them…but you need them."

He paused and took a slow breath.

"I have a healthy set of spirit centers…and a machine that will let me place them inside you."

Byakuya caught his breath in shock.

"What?"

You heard me…"

"But…Urahara…it can't be done! It's never been done! A live spirit center exchange? You have to be out of your mind!" the noble said breathlessly, "Even if it worked, it…"

"Byakuya…think," said the shopkeeper, "This is a game. When we get out of here, the game ends. What we do to win, won't follow us out, right?"

"We don't know that."

"We do…because Diablo never said that we were changing our fate by being in the game. Our fate changes based on whether we win or lose. We can go all out and I think that he made it so we would have to be willing to do that to win. And even if the exchange does follow us out of here, the worst that happens, assuming the exchange doesn't kill one or both of us…is that I have your burned out spirit centers and you have my healthy ones…and we have Orihime to reject the exchange if that happens."

Byakuya gazed at him intently, considering.

"Assuming we survive the exchange…and that we both win."

"Yeah…"

Kisuke trailed off and turned to look more closely at the noble. Byakuya stared back, fear rising in his eyes.

"Oh my sweet kami," Kisuke breathed, "_You're in the game too!_"

Byakuya gazed at him wordlessly.

"But that means," Kisuke went on, "that you didn't go _back_ in time…you went _forward_. But it's odd. You were younger then. You looked younger."

"But when you enter the game, everything can change…everything…I came into the game just after losing Hisana."

"But you came back…and you never said anything!"

"What are you talking about? I haven't finished. I haven't won or lost."

Kisuke nodded.

"That's right. Because we're in the game now and we just joined you. Ah, but it twists the mind. Does this mean that you are assured of winning, because I know you won…or does it throw everything into uncertainty? I mean…it makes sense to wonder. Are we endangering your win?"

"There's no time to think about that. We have to act now or Renji…"

"Hey…wait a second," said Kisuke, frowning, "if you're the Byakuya of the past, then how come you're so worried about Renji? I mean, why are you doing this at all? What does this have to do with getting Hisana back?"

"Nothing," Byakuya answered calmly.

"What?" asked Kisuke, looking confused.

"You have made an error in logic. You see, you assumed that the game results in a desire you choose…a change of fate you pick. That is not true."

"You wanna run that by me again?" asked Kisuke.

Byakuya almost smiled.

The mistake most people make…and the one I almost made, is thinking that we know the true content of our deepest desires. We think we know what we want, but our wants and desires are things of the moment. This game and its reward have nothing to do with passing fancy. When you win this game, you are not given your desire of the moment, but something that you may not yet know you need."

Kisuke stared at him in silence.

"I was desperate when I lost Hisana. I stole the hourglass and entered the game, thinking as you do…that it would give me what I asked for. Diablo explained to me the difference between what I asked for and what I needed. He said that if I won the game, I would have what I needed. I didn't understand at the time. I fell into the game, as you did and I woke in Renji's arms."

"That must have been awkward…" mused Kisuke.

"Awkward because I didn't even know him at the time…but when you enter the game, you are given the information to address your task. And I was given to know who Renji was and how and why we had come to this place and time. I had to respond as he expected, because to not do so might have caused one or both of us to falter and fail our mission."

"How did you know he was on a mission too?" Kisuke asked.

"Because of his reaction when he looked at me. He was stunned, then overwhelmed. His eyes said everything. They were the eyes of one who has lost someone he loved. I know because my eyes looked like that when I lost Hisana."

"That's why you believed him," Kisuke said wonderingly, "because he told you about seeing you die and you knew what he was feeling for you was akin to what you felt when you lost Hisana."

Byakuya nodded.

"But now…you don't really love Renji…right?"

"I think I fell in love with Renji the moment I realized that the one he was mourning was me. To see that kind of love…that kind of torment over losing me…"

"Love at first sight?" Kisuke chuckled, "You?"

Byakuya sighed resignedly.

"Apparently so. But I still have to reach Renji. So I am going to trust you, Urahara Kisuke of the future. I am putting myself in your hands. Restore my power, by whatever means you must…but hurry. Renji's life and the life of our child is at risk."

"I won't let you down," Kisuke promised.

"That would be a refreshing change…Urahara Kisuke," the noble said with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Now that's the Little Byakuya that I remember!" smiled Kisuke.


	15. Soul Destruction

**Chapter 15: Soul Destruction**

"So then," Aizen said calmly, "We are away from all others, Renji. You said you wished to fight. I know I've given you plenty of reasons to sharpen your resolve. But are you sure this is the time and place? Don't you have a child in you to protect? Are you sure you wish to risk everything just to take your revenge on me?"

"It isn't my revenge," Renji said, a strange sense of calm settling over him, "It was never about me, and you know it. It was always about him. It's about what you did to my lover…"

Aizen's eyes widened for a moment, then softened slightly. He listened quietly as the red-haired fukutaichou continued.

"I'd never met anyone as strong as Byakuya. Even the first time he walked by me, I felt his power. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before, and I was scared out of my mind. He could have killed me with a glance and we both knew it. I stood and watched the day he walked away with Rukia and I wanted to be the one to break that strength."

He took a slow breath.

"I swore to myself that I would. I trained for years and rose through the ranks of the Gotei 13, always watching him, always near, but never touching. But I probably would have stayed in his shadow forever if you hadn't turned him against Rukia. The thought of losing her forever pushed me to challenge him…and I ended up a bloodied wreck at his feet. But something changed about us that day. After that day, I realized that our strength comes from resolve…and that we are strongest when our resolve comes from the heart. I wasn't strong enough to meet you in battle before, but when Byakuya died, he poured the strength of his heart and his resolve into me. And I can meet you in battle now. I have my own strength and his to fight you with. You thought you broke him down. Don't make me laugh! You never even got close to it. You cut Byakuya. You hurt him. And you even managed to kill him. But all that happened was that he found another way to beat you. I am that way. So come on then, Aizen Sousuke! Draw your weapon and meet his strength again. Together, Byakuya and I will cut you. Together, we will kill you!"

Renji drew his weapon…then he noticed something odd about it and looked down in surprise. A chill went through him as he registered Aizen's soft laughter.

"Together you will kill me, huh?" he said softly, "Why don't you just give that a try…Renji? But as you do, have this gift from me. Don't just fight with your own meager form. Take Byakuya's."

Renji stared down at the slender, beautiful blade in his hand…at the pale hand that held it, the fingerless gloves on his hands, the haori and the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu.

"What did you do to me, you freak?" he shouted, "How did you do this?"

Aizen smiled.

"You never saw me draw my weapon did you? Poor misguided child. You fell for the illusion just as easily as he did. Fight me as you will…but as you do, I want you to live through what he did. And you can tell me again, once I've defeated you. Did I break Byakuya? Did I make him mine? And can you, Abarai Renji, do better than he did, even with his greater power?"

The scene around them wavered and Renji heard the sudden sounds of battle. His head turned, the long strands of raven black hair dancing on the breezes. His gray eyes widened in realization as the illusion around his group of fighters disappeared and the hollows descended on them. There wasn't time for a warning.

"Ban kai, Senbonzakura kageyoshi."

Pink petals exploded outward, sweeping around his surprised unit and cutting the incoming hollows to pieces.

"Back to the base!" he shouted, "Move!"

He turned with them and shot back across the desert towards the base, tearing through the hollows that appeared in droves all around them. It was as he had warned Soutaichou it might be. Aizen had known. Somehow the bastard had known they were coming. They could see the lights from the base rising up in the distance. They were painfully close. But as the distance closed between the base and the fighters, Byakuya felt his heart stop in his chest. He slid to a stop and waited as his unit poured in around him. They all sensed it now…the traps in all directions…Aizen's presence…the end of them all. He looked at the group quietly for a moment, then gathered them all close. A sphere of petals rose around them and closed them away from the mass of attackers. He turned to the group of fighters and met their eyes with poise and strength.

"I will protect you for as long as I am able," he said softly, "When my power is overcome, do your best to reach the base. I will try to make an opening for you."

The eyes that met his were frightened, but beneath the emotion, he saw the resolve…and the sudden flare of loyalty. And in that moment, he knew why it was there. It was Renji's last gift to him, appearing in the darkest of times to comfort him. Renji had loved and protected him…and through the men he had trained, Renji was still with him. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the way it felt to be held in those warm, comforting arms. He said a small prayer that somehow, he would find a way to return to that place.

He gathered his power as the rage of the hollows descended on his sphere of petals. He took a last look at the men around him and let the petals explode outward. The light around them became blinding and thousands of the hollows surrounding them melted into the petals and disappeared. He gave the order to retreat, then watched in humble silence as it was disobeyed and his unit closed ranks around him. A calm voice rose up in front of him, the voice that of an unseated shinigami, but the words, undeniably Renji's.

"We will not save ourselves, even if we run, taichou. If we are to die, let us die defending what matters."

He wanted to cry for them…to scream for them to run. But instead, he met the man's eyes and gave him a look of deepest gratitude. They tightened their hands on their swords and braced themselves as the horde descended on them. He sent heavy blasts of pink petal blades around and between the fighting and falling bodies around him. Their dying screams rang in his ears, mixing with the growls and roars of the hollows, the flare of swords released and the explosions that rocked the ground beneath them. He felt the burning out of each small flame as his fighters fell around him…until he was all that was left and the battlefield suddenly went silent. He was left, still untouched, as Aizen appeared and passed through the waiting hollows, stopping just short of him.

"What a poor turn of luck, don't you think?" Aizen said with poorly hidden sarcasm, "So many lives wasted because someone made a simple mistake of trust. That's why I don't depend on others as you do…Byakuya. Trust only gets you so far…and then it leaves you alone and defenseless…at the mercy of those who are stronger. You trusted these men to protect you. Tell me, where does that leave you now?"

"You may have taken my group in this battle and I may fall as well," he replied quietly, "but there will be others inspired by this to fight harder. And in the end, even if my strength is not enough, someone's will be. That is where trust places me."

Aizen laughed softly.

"So you think they will be inspired by your death. Well…perhaps I will not kill you, Byakuya. Perhaps I would rather you see how their strength fails. But don't worry. You will have a new protector, now that the ones around you have fallen. I will protect you. I want you to live. I want you to live to see me win and to see how wrong your faith in them is!"

Senbonzakura slashed at him and the two moved into a flurry of cuts and blocks as the hollows hovered in the air nearby. Their swords locked together and Aizen stared into his eyes and smiled.

"Do you hear it, Renji?" he asked quietly, his voice breaking into the illusion around the redhead, "This is the last thing Byakuya heard before he fell that day."

He heard the sudden clash of arms and then a voice rising up somewhere in the distance.

"Taichou!"

Renji felt a sudden throb of pain in his chest and looked down to see Kyouka Suigetsu buried in his body.

"Yes, Renji," Aizen said, pulling the sword free and watching him slump to the ground, "Byakuya heard your voice. He heard it and then I cut him down…just as I've cut you down…so you see, it doesn't matter. Your power has failed, just as Byakuya's did the day I took him. But why stop here? Why don't I show you more?"

"You sick, perverted bastard!" snapped Renji, spitting blood at him, "Do your worst, but you can't shock me by showing me what you did to him! Byakuya gave me his memories. I already know. I know as though I was there myself, so you won't show me anything I don't already know about!"

Aizen's eyes darkened and the reiatsu around them rose dangerously.

"Well then…perhaps we should end the illusions. I think instead, you need to have a lesson of your own."

Renji felt a shiver of movement and realized that he was back in his own body. His eyes widened as he noticed that the pain had disappeared and he was uninjured. He frowned for a moment, thinking.

_He didn't really cut me…but he wanted me to think he did. He isn't going all out. So I will…_

He climbed to his knees and used Zabimaru to support him as he lifted himself to his feet. Aizen watched quietly, his eyes curious and guarded.

"So offer me a lesson," Renji replied, narrowing his eyes, "but realize as you do that even if you don't plan to fight me with your full strength, I am not afraid to use mine.

Red light rose around him and the skeletal snake rose up next to him. Aizen stared.

"What's the matter?" Renji asked in a low voice, "You didn't hear me activate my ban kai? I'll bet you didn't know it could do this either!"

Before Aizen could react, the skeletal snake extended and wrapped itself in a tight coil around him. Aizen felt the red power rise around him. He tried to raise his own power, but before he could do more than shield, the red light exploded around and through him, dragging a cry of pain from him as Renji's power tore at him.

"Little dog!" he hissed, ignoring the blood that drizzled down is burnt skin, "You may think you are strong…and that your power is enough to defeat me, but let me educate you. Even though I am still recovering from Byakuya's attack on me at the council hall, and even though in this game, I do not have my godly powers yet, still even your power combined with Byakuya's will not be enough to kill me. So all of this is pointless. I am done toying with you."

The reiatsu around them rose again and Renji knew better than to hesitate. He threw all of his power into his blade and led with the skeletal snake.

"Hikotsu taihou!" he screamed, following the skeletal snake with his own body.

The red light bore down on Aizen. The traitor looked calmly into the redness and before Renji's stunned eyes, he disappeared. He felt a shock of pain and then he was falling. He wasn't sure what had hit him or where, but he was aware that the fight was over…at least for the time being…

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you comfortable, Urahara-san?" asked Tessai, looking down at the restrained shinigami on the examination table in front of him.

"Actually, not even close," Urahara chuckled sarcastically, "and I doubt Byakuya feels much better. But I don't think there's any way to adjust the restraints that will fix that, so let's just get this over with."

Tessai gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry. It will work," he assured the shopkeeper.

"You don't know that, baka," Urahara said calmly, "but I do appreciate the sentiment."

He turned his head and met Byakuya's eyes for a moment. The noble looked back at him calmly.

"What do you say, Byakuya?" he asked softly, "You ready to do this?"

"I am ready to do whatever it will take to make me strong enough to protect Renji and Raiden. That is all that matters."

Urahara nodded.

"All right…then it's time. Start the exchange."

Tessai nodded and moved to Byakuya's side. He leaned over the noble, sending small tendrils of reiatsu into his body. Each time he sensed a spirit center, he placed a small electrode over the area. When he had found and marked them all, he turned to Urahara and repeated the procedure. Then he left them and moved to a large control panel. He took a deep breath and held it as he started the exchange procedure.

Power flared around the two restrained shinigamis and flowed down into the electrodes. Their bodies flinched softly at the intrusion, then fell still again as the light around them pulsed steadily, the color shifting from green to amber, then to a deep red, before returning to green and continuing to pulse around them. Byakuya and Urahara exchanged questioning glances. Slowly, the power rose again and their eyes closed in reaction.

"I'm beginning the removal and transplant sequence now," Tessai told them.

The two bodies flinched again in protest and then quieted as Tessai induced sleep and pressed several buttons on the console in front of him. Even though they no longer moved, Tessai could see the soft register of their vital signs on the monitors and could see their reiatsu pulsing brightly around them. He watched the monitors carefully as the procedure commenced, raising or reducing the power to keep it within a safe range.

Almost from the beginning, Byakuya's vital signs drifted near the upper limits. But, he reminded himself, it was to be expected, considering the poor state of his spirit centers. Slowly, as the procedure went on, Byakuya began to stabilize and the power around him grew stronger. Urahara's power gradually weakened and his vital signs moved to the edges of the margin of safety. Tessai carefully backed off the power and brought the exchange procedure to a close. The reiatsu around the two dropped and the power around them dimmed and faded. Tessai left the control panel and rejoined them, releasing the restraints and then watching anxiously as they regained consciousness. The two sat up and slowly removed the electrodes.

"Well," said Urahara, "It looks like it didn't kill either of us. I guess we should probably see what it did do. Okay…Byakuya…try raising your spiritual pressure."

The noble's head tilted forward slightly and his eyes drifted nearly closed. The space around him remained as it had been. Urahara frowned.

"Damn…" he said softly, "I think I flared up more than you did, Kuchiki taichou."

He sighed softly.

"It looks like it's back to the drawing board…"

"Wait," said Byakuya quietly, "Why don't you try raising your spiritual pressure?"

"What? Why?" Urahara asked, "It's not going to…"

He stopped himself, meeting the noble's eyes questioningly.

"It is something I sensed when I tried it myself," Byakuya went on, "Go ahead."

Urahara nodded and bent his head in concentration.

The spiritual pressure around the shopkeeper remained the same, but power began to radiate around Byakuya. Urahara raised the pressure even more and the power around the noble flared, white-hot. A smile crept onto the shopkeeper's face.

"Baka," Byakuya said, reprovingly, "You've restored my powers, but now I don't control them!"

"Yeah," Urahara laughed, "I do!"

Byakuya scowled.

"Oops," said the shopkeeper, trying to look penitent, "Looks like I have myself a remote control taichou!"


	16. Using Illusion

**Chapter 16: Using Illusion**

Renji woke with an awful throbbing in his head and an odd feeling of disorientation. He opened his eyes, but everything around him seemed to pitch and sway and he couldn't blink away his blurred vision no matter how hard he tried.

"What are you doing, you freak!" he shouted.

But his voice sounded oddly distorted in his ears. He heard an echoing laugh and looked up into Aizen Sousuke's barely discernible face. Hot, searching hands touched him and he felt sharp twinges of pain, but he couldn't locate the source, or even where, exactly, it hurt. Aizen spoke again and his voice sounded somewhat less garbled.

"Since you enjoy referring to Byakuya's time with me so much, I thought I'd let you experience more of what it was like. This is how he woke up most days…drugged out of his mind and unable to tell how I was hurting him. All he knew was that it hurt…" Aizen hissed softly, "Sometimes, I wouldn't touch him at all, but would use illusions to hurt him until he screamed. His screams made me instantly hard…and I'd take him while he was still crying out in pain. Then, I would change the illusion and make him cry out in pleasure. They were very different sounds, but then…you would know that, wouldn't you, Renji?"

"Fuck you! You sick bastard! I'll kill you! No, I won't have to. You'll kill me and Raiden with your drugs and you'll lose this game!"

Aizen laughed and nipped at his ear.

"I wouldn't take such a risk, Renji. I wouldn't want to lose, after all, so I use illusion to mimic the drugs. What matters here…is making you hurt. I enjoy causing pain, Renji…and when I held Byakuya here, I found that everyone's pain tastes unique. Byakuya's was particularly sweet and earthy. Yours has more spice to it…and is more fiery."

Renji flinched as pain rocketed through him, startling him with its intensity and, again, how he couldn't seem to center on where the pain was in his body.

"You probably wonder," Aizen said quietly, "why you can't tell where it hurts. You know that you feel pain…intense pain…but you don't know where it is. Kyouka Suigetsu controls your senses and will not let your body tell you where it hurts. Maybe you wonder why I do this. Let me tell you. The body is very, very efficient. When it feels pain, receptors tell the brain where the pain is…and chemicals are released to dampen the sensation. It is how we control pain so that we can continue to function, bearing it until we can relieve it. Without that ability, your body is forced to bear the full weight of the pain without any hope of relief."

He licked the redhead's ear and brushed his lips against his cheek.

"At first, of course, Byakuya's body strained itself to relieve the pain. But I found that with repeated exposures to Kyouka Suigetsu, I trained his body out of even trying. He could no longer block his own pain. He became sooooo much more sensitive!"

"Shut up!" screamed Renji, "I told you…you aren't telling me anything I don't fucking know, so shut the hell up about Byakuya! I'm going to kill you for touching him! Whatever it takes…however long and whatever I have to sacrifice…I'll do it! I'll kill you!"

"I do look forward to seeing you try," Aizen said, sliding a hand down his body, "but while we wait for that, why don't we see just how pleasure and pain look on _your_ face…Renji."

"I don't give a damn what you do to me, you disgusting animal! I don't care how much it hurts and I don't care how long it lasts…it won't be enough to keep me from killing you!"

"Oh," said Aizen, sedately, "See now, you've made me hard."

He moved into position between the restrained shinigami's thighs and thrust into him. Renji winced and made a strangled sound, but forced down the urge to cry out. He let his body go limp as the leader of the hollows continued to thrust heavily into him, holding onto his shoulders and panting in his ear. He tightened his fingers until they broke the redhead's skin and bit down on his throat, sucking hard to leave angry red marks behind. All through his torment, the redhead laid quietly, forcing his body to remain calm. After a time, Aizen collapsed onto him, moaning delightedly and sending hot pulses of his seed into his captive's body. Renji ignored the searing heat, the stinging pain and the cruel words Aizen whispered. He focused on only one thing…waiting. He knew that at some point, the bastard was going to give him an opening…and when he did, Renji promised himself, his baby and his lover that he would be ready…

XXXXXXXXX

"This isn't going to work," groaned Kisuke unhappily, "There just isn't time…and we risk making things worse by trying to fix this. But what in kami's name are we going to do now?"

Byakuya shook his head in frustration.

"I do not know, Urahara Kisuke," he said softly, "All I do know is that I am going to help Renji. And even if I have to drag you along kicking and screaming to activate my ban kai for me, I…"

"Wait…what?" Kisuke said, interrupting him.

"I said…I am going to Renji," repeated the noble.

"Yeah," said Kisuke, "but about taking me along and having me fire your ban kai. Byakuya…you are a genius!"

"No," said the noble calmly, "I am simply determined that Renji will not die…and Aizen Sousuke will!"

"I think I may be able to help you with that!" Kisuke said excitedly, "Byakuya, he's expecting you to come. He'll be waiting there with Kyouka Suigetsu."

"I don't care."

"I know…and now you don't have to!"

"What?" the noble asked, frowning.

"Okay," said Kisuke, "he is expecting you and will have Kyouka Suigetsu all ready to throw you off…but if he doesn't know that our wires are crossed, and we set this up right…Byakuya, I can activate your ban kai and actually have a chance of hitting him by surprise!"

"But," said Byakuya quietly, "I would have to be able to take him down in a single attack…"

"And you wield only one attack that can do that," said Kisuke.

Byakuya's eyes darkened and became haunted.

"Sakura tenrei rekka," he breathed.

"My thoughts exactly," said the shopkeeper, "I don't think you hit him squarely when you used it last time…and you had issues with your spirit centers that you don't have now. Things are different this time…"

He gazed at the noble thoughtfully.

"And maybe I can tilt things a little bit more in our favor."

"How?" Byakuya asked, looking up at him.

"That all depends," Kisuke said meaningfully, "Let me ask you this. Are you prepared to go all out? To give everything to this? To die, if necessary?"

Byakuya met his eyes squarely.

"I think, Urahara Kisuke, that I have already answered that question quite resoundingly."

Kisuke nodded, his eyes taking on a determined gleam.

"All right, then," he said, "come with me. I have one more little adjustment to make to those transplanted spirit centers, and then we'll be ready to go."

They turned to leave the room, but stopped in surprise as Ichigo stumbled into the room, bleeding and barely on his feet.

"Ichigo!" Kisuke hissed, "What happened to you?"

"Aizen Sousuke," the youth panted angrily, "The bastard knocked me for a loop and then dragged Renji off to fight."

"He has Renji?" Byakuya asked quickly.

"Renji was uninjured when they left to fight," said Ichigo, "but who knows what he's like now?"

Byakuya sighed.

"Urahara Kisuke," he said firmly, "Our time has run out. We must go immediately to Renji's aid."

"We will," Kisuke promised, "but I'll need to ask you to wait until Tessai can heal Ichigo. He's a part of this, too and I have a feeling he'll be needed for us to win this thing. And while he's healing, I will adjust those spirit centers…And I guarantee you, Byakuya. When you loose that attack, it will hit Aizen like the wrath of kami!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji laid groaning, still unsure where exactly he hurt and so fogged out that he couldn't have told up from down. Aizen's garbled, distant voice sounded in his tired mind from time to time, and when it did, he knew to expect sharp surges in the level of pain he was suffering. Not that it managed to reach him with much intensity.

He used the time in between to calm his aching body, to let his mind escape the dark environs of Las Noches and focus, instead, on the calm presence of Raiden growing inside him. Wrapping his mind around that small, beautiful miracle helped him to breathe when he felt like he couldn't, helped him keep his heart from indulging in fear and despair…and most of all, kept him from despairing. The time to fight Aizen, to loose his wrath for all that had been done to Byakuya, to Raiden, to Akane and to him was coming. He felt the approach of it and forced himself to wait with relative calm…ignoring Aizen's taunts, the assaults on his body, and the heated efforts to wear him down. Now, each time Aizen stroked his skin and hair, he promised to cut off the hand that touched him…and every time the man's voice assailed his ears with calm sarcasm, he renewed his vow to cut the slender throat so that he couldn't speak. When he drove himself into Renji's unprotected body for pleasure, he promised himself that he would make him pay for every hot pulse with screams of pain…and for each moment his body curled like a snake around Renji's, the redhead promised himself that he would uncurl the beast and cast him into the depths of hell. Sometimes it seemed like practice in futility, but given the facts of his current situation, it was all he could do.

So he clung to his promises with both hands and rode out the worst Aizen had to offer…

"Bastard!" he hissed as Aizen thrust into him and bit down hard on his tattooed shoulder, "You are going to pay for this! By kami, you are going to pay!"

Aizen smiled and sucked bruisingly at his lips.

"Oh Abarai," he moaned heatedly, sending hot seed pulsing into the trapped redhead's restrained body, "I think I'm falling in love with you…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya stood quietly in the underground training room, waiting as Tessai scanned Ichigo's body a last time, then sent him in their direction, looking after the youth worriedly. Kisuke studied Ichigo for a moment.

"Activate your ban kai now," he instructed the youth, "You probably won't get the chance to once we're there. And if we have bad luck and are sensed, we'll probably be plunked down in the middle of a whole lot of hollows. I'll mask your reiatsu, but realize that if you use your hollow powers and then shift back, the masking won't be there and you'll be exposed if you can't hide it yourself. So choose wisely when it comes to using your powers."

Ichigo nodded and Kisuke glanced back at Byakuya.

"Can I borrow your body for a sec, Kuchiki taichou?" he asked, flashing a smile.

Byakuya approached Ichigo and set his hands against the youth's chest, bowing his head. Kisuke sent his power through the noble, carefully distorting Ichigo's reiatsu, making it resemble that of a strong hollow. Ichigo watched wonderingly as Kisuke invoked Byakuya's considerable reiatsu and directed it carefully. As the power around the noble's hands faded, Kisuke nodded in approval.

"Okay," he said, holding Byakuya's eyes for a moment, "We have a successful test run. Let's go…and let's hope Aizen's busy plotting and doesn't see us before we close in."

"That is wishful thinking, Urahara Kisuke," Byakuya said reprovingly, "He knows we are coming and he will be ready."

"Yeah…maybe so," Kisuke said, his face growing unnaturally serious, "but what he _doesn't_ know this time? It's going to be the death of him."

The three turned towards the garganta. Byakuya moved forward, focusing as Kisuke used his body to open the doorway into Hueco Mundo.

"Successful test number two," Kisuke murmured appreciatively, "My friends, I think this might just have a very slim chance of working…"

They passed through the garganta together and dropped down into the cold, dark sands…and into the middle of a hollow patrol…

"Shit…" muttered Kisuke, "…not good! Ichigo, we can't fight until we reach the fortress or we'll give ourselves away. You'll have to take them and let us make a run for it! Catch up with us when you're through!"

"I got it!" yelled the youth, loosing a heavy blast into the surprised group of hollows.

"Urahara Kisuke," Byakuya said as they turned towards the fortress, "Our escape will require use of the flash step, which you cannot manage right now."

"What are you suggesting?" he asked, breaking into a run alongside the noble.

"I imagine I'll have to carry you," Byakuya replied dryly.

"Aww, Kuchiki-san, I'm flattered!" he exclaimed, allowing himself to be lifted into the noble's reluctant arms.

He held onto his hat with one hand and onto Byakuya with the other.

"If you would focus less on verbally assaulting my senses and more on powering my flash step, I would appreciate it…and we would be less likely to end up dead or residing permanently here."

"Hey…be careful about insulting me," Kisuke said, grinning, "because while I control your spirit centers, I can really make your life miserable…_Kuchiki-san_."

"Believe me, Urahara Kisuke," the noble said, flash stepping away so quickly that he nearly dropped the shopkeeper, "You manage that quite capably already!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji felt the dizziness in his head beginning to clear and felt himself being pulled to his feet. He blinked and shook his head to clear it, then waited as his eyes slowly cleared. There was an urgency in the hands that roused him…a glint of anticipation in the eyes that found his…and Renji knew that it was likely not a good thing. He swayed for a moment and felt a sharp twinge in his abdomen.

"What the fuck is going on?" he muttered, hardly expecting the traitor to answer.

"Not to worry," Aizen's voice said quietly, "I'm merely moving you to a more advantageous place and bringing you around so you won't miss the end of this."

"The…end?" Renji said dazedly, rubbing his midsection as another pain registered there, "What the hell are you talking about, freak?"

"It's Byakuya," Aizen said, lifting his head and gazing calmly out the window, "He is coming for you. We are about to begin the final battle, but I'll need to keep you out of harm's way. Wouldn't want your little bundle of joy to be injured. I need him alive."

Renji tried to think of something reproachful to say, but could only manage an anguished cry of pain as another pain rocketed through him. He fell to his knees, groaning.

"Not acceptable," muttered Aizen.

He raised his blade.

"Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu…"

"It won't do any fucking good!" gasped Renji, "I'm in labor. You can't…stop it!"

Aizen smiled.

"Of course I can," he said calmly, "Don't you understand Abarai? I have control of all of your senses. I can make your body respond in any way I want. Now, relax. The pain should fade in a moment."

And surprisingly for Renji, it did. He caught his breath as he was lifted and taken into the throne room. Aizen locked him in a kido cage in the corner and moved to the center of the room as the door opened and Byakuya stepped inside.

Aizen smiled warmly at the noble.

"Welcome home, my beautiful lover," he said in a seductive tone, "It is good to see you again."


	17. White Petal Storm

**Chapter 17: White Petal Storm**

"Byakuya!" Renji cried, "Byakuya…Please, get out of here! Don't do this! Don't try to attack him!"

Aizen laughed softly, keeping his eye on the noble.

"Be quiet, mongrel," he said reprovingly, "I am welcoming my life partner home."

"I am not your life partner," Byakuya said calmly, "You may have made me your prisoner and forced me to marry you, but that marriage has been officially annulled with the blessing of the new council of elders. As of their decision, that travesty was erased."

Aizen smiled.

"But surely you understand, you cannot undo what was done. I broke you down, Byakuya. I crushed you and I took the broken pieces…and I rebuilt you in the way I wanted you. Your elders can erase the document, but they can't erase my mark on you. You are still my prisoner. I still own you."

"Is that so?" Byakuya said in a low voice, "Aizen Sousuke, I will give you one chance to free Renji…to let him leave…and if you do not let him go, I will kill you where you stand."

Aizen laughed more loudly.

"You will kill me, Byakuya?" he asked raising an eyebrow, "You stand before me with shattered spirit centers, a body I've already once broken, a heart half mended and a blade that snapped under the force of mine. How then will you kill me? I would like to see you try. Renji will stay in the kido cage…and you…Byakuya…you will surrender to me. I won't make you watch as I create Diablo's key this time. You will join Renji in the cage and I will darken it to spare you. That should cure you of your desperation."

"I am not here to face you as a desperate man. There is power inside me…and resolve…and my blade will not be broken, but will deliver the vengeance that is mine. For every hurt you placed on my body, my mind, my heart, for every one of my loved ones who you killed, hurt or threatened…you will pay. I will make you pay. Aizen Sousuke, I will destroy you."

Aizen took a step in his direction. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"Come no closer," he warned the other, "I am prepared to attack you."

Aizen studied him carefully.

"You do understand…don't you, Byakuya? This is not real. _You_ are not real. You are _dead_…and not really a part of what's going on. You are a construct…a pawn within this story we are making. You do not think or make strategy of your own…and I will simply put you aside, because you are in the way."

The noble's wide gray eyes sought his calmly.

"You are mistaken," he said softly, "about many things."

"Am I?" queried Aizen, "Then tell me, my misguided love, how I am wrong."

"I am not now, nor have I ever been your lover. Renji is the only one who can call me by that name. And I warn you…I am no construct. Like you, I have an agenda. I am here for many reasons, just as you are."

"But how is that possible, since you died before we entered the hourglass?" Aizen asked.

Byakuya let his eyes touch Renji.

"I entered the hourglass just after I lost my wife," he said quietly.

In the cage, Renji's eyes went wide.

Aizen's eyes widened as well and he took another step forward. Byakuya flash stepped and stopped with his sword locked tightly against Aizen's. He met the traitor's brown eyes coldly.

"I was never captured by you. I only know the story, because I was sent forward in time…and told what had happened. I know what you did to me…but I am not the one you broke…and my sword has not been snapped by yours…not yet. We are unbowed…and we will defeat you!"

"I see," said Aizen, "that you do have the arrogance that I thought you cured of…but, Byakuya, if indeed you are from the time just after your wife died, then that also means that you and Renji have never been together."

"I was with Renji when I entered the game. He is my lover. He is one of those I am here to protect. I will protect him…and I will stop you from harming our son!"

Aizen held his sword tightly locked against Byakuya's and looked into the noble's calm, dark eyes.

"You truly believe you can," Aizen observed, "but can you really? You are unbowed, yes, but when you became part of this, your body became the one I tormented…and your blade the one I snapped. You became him…the one I shattered…and you still stand before me with dead spirit centers and no way to win."

"Do I?" Byakuya asked.

Aizen Sousuke caught his breath sharply as wind rose around the noble, fluttering the long black hair and his shihakushou. White light flared around his body as his reiatsu rose. Byakuya gazed calmly into Aizen's eyes.

"Do you still think I am powerless?"

He tore his weapon free and delivered three swift slashes. Aizen moved in defense as blood welled up on his skin. He locked his weapon against Byakuya's and glared at the noble.

"Well…so you are going to be difficult. I don't know how you got your powers back, but you are only going to lose them again!"

He tore away from the noble, turned and raised his sword.

"Shatter…"

He broke off as a huge blast erupted from near the doorway and Ichigo flash stepped into the room. He glared at Aizen and held his weapon ready.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…how inconvenient. If you will excuse me for a moment, I will finish my business with my spouse and then deal with you."

Ichigo continued to glare at him and flash stepped to the cage that held Renji.

"I'm not here for you," Ichigo said shortly, "I'm going to make sure you don't hurt Renji…or his baby."

"I intend no harm to come to either. I am merely putting my spouse in his place, then will see to the birth of Renji's child."

Ichigo blasted the kido cage and watched it shatter. Renji tried to flash step towards Byakuya, but was stopped when Ichigo blocked his path.

"What are you doing?" Renji yelled, "Get out of the way, Ichigo! I have to get to Byakuya! I have to stop Aizen from hurting him! Get out of my way!"

"No," said Ichigo firmly, "Renji…you have to listen to me. You have to let Byakuya fight him. You can't interfere."

"What the fuck? Ichigo…you know what he did to Bya before! You know!"

"He can do this, Renji. And you need to protect yourself and your baby. Who do you think that Byakuya is fighting for?"

"But he can't win!" yelled Renji, "He can't beat Aizen Sousuke! He'll die in front of my eyes. I can't let that happen. Move Ichigo!"

He tried again to pass, but the substitute shinigami took hold of him and raised a shield around the two of them.

"What are you doing?" screamed Renji, "Ichigo, stop! You have to let me out. I have to be there to help him! Ichigo!"

"Don't you understand?" Ichigo told his friend gently, "Byakuya has to do this. He _has_ to. We all have things we _have _to do to win. We can't reveal our missions, but we know that each of us has one. Stay with me in the cage. Trust me, Renji. I am going to protect you and your baby. And Byakuya is going to kill Aizen. Trust us, Renji…please."

Renji dropped to his knees and stared out at the noble.

"Promise me one thing," he said in a trembling voice, "If he goes down, let me out. Because if I lose him again, I won't survive it. Do _you_ understand, Ichigo?"

Ichigo set a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand," he said softly, "but hear me on this. Byakuya has to win…or we all are going to lose, so if he goes down, he takes all of us with him. He knows that, Renji. He isn't going to fail. And you heard what he said, didn't you? That he isn't the one Aizen took. This is the Byakuya we lost that day. This is the chance that he wasn't given. Believe in him, Renji. You have to believe in him. It's the only thing you can do to help him."

Ichigo knelt next Renji, watching as the two shinigamis continued to circle each other.

Aizen was forced to flash step clear as a huge blast of blue fire erupted from Byakuya's hands and nearly took him off his feet. He set down and held his weapon up again. He sensed Byakuya's flash step and swept his sword down to counter. The two exchanged a blinding series of cuts and parries, flash stepping around the room and crashing together repeatedly. Finally, they stopped in the middle of the room with their swords locked together and their chests heaving softly.

"You can't defeat me," Aizen told the panting noble, "Byakuya, don't make me hurt you."

"Why not?" the noble asked quietly, "Isn't that what you enjoy most? Isn't that what you liked best about the time you held me captive? Go ahead. Inflict all of the pain you want. You can't hurt me any more. I won't let you!"

"I stopped wanting to hurt you a long time ago, don't you understand?" Aizen asked, his voice softening, "I only needed to be sure that you could not leave me. By making you suffer, by making you afraid, I bound you to me. You could not leave me, because you would always fear me. You could not walk without looking over your shoulder, because you knew I would come for you. You have been my prisoner for far longer than your captivity, Byakuya…and you will never be free of me. Your pain binds you to me. You can't let go of what was done to you. It won't let go of you…and so I will always be with you, holding you back…cornering you, making sure no one else gets close…and tries to take you away from me. But when you give in…if you will surrender to me…I promise you…I will never hurt you again once I have taken this step and become king. I will cherish you. I will do penance for all of the hurt I've caused you. I will give you all of the children you desire…and a happy home. I wasn't lying to you…when I told you that I wanted you and Akane to make a family with me. I do want that. And once I make this key, then you and I can have everything we need to be happy. You want to be happy again, don't you? You want to walk freely where you will and not be afraid anymore. I can give you that. Bind yourself to me…and you will never have a reason to be sad…to be hurt, to be afraid…again."

Byakuya stared into his eyes and Senbonzakura tremored lightly in his hand. Aizen smiled.

"You see…" Aizen went on, "Though you resist, you sense what is true…that we are connected. You cannot go back to them…not really. Your body went back, but everything else remained with me. You are in my heart now, Byakuya. Your mind is an extension of my own. All that is left to yield…is your body. Drop your weapon. Accept your fate, my love. You belong to me. You will always belong to me."

He placed his hand over their locked blades and began to push them down.

"That's better," he said softly, "We don't want anyone to get hurt, right?"

He felt Byakuya's body tense and leapt away as the noble freed his weapon and slashed upward, his eyes flaring.

"I want you to be hurt!" he hissed, flash stepping in and slashing at Aizen again, "I want you to die!"

"But you can't kill me, Byakuya. And I will not allow you to kill yourself trying. Put your weapon down, or I will have to release my zanpakutou and end this the hard way."

"Go ahead," Byakuya said, glaring at him, "Try it!"

Aizen lifted his sword.

"Shatter…Kyoka Suigetsu," he said smiling.

Byakuya stopped and stared, his sword still ready, but his body frozen in place.

"I control your senses now," Aizen told him, stepping toward him, "You see your lover when you see me. You cannot fight me any longer. You have lost."

He crossed the room and came to a stop in front of the noble.

"You always make things more difficult than they have to be," Aizen said softly, "You always fight me, even when you know you will lose. I tire of your rebelliousness, but now you will do as you are told."

He reached Byakuya and placed a gentle hand on his face. The noble's eyes looked back into his with a lost, hazed expression. Aizen sighed softly and sealed away his spirit energy. He leaned forward and kissed the noble lingeringly.

A small shift in Byakuya's body was the only warning he got before the noble brought up his weapon, slashing and the power exploded around him. Aizen flew backwards and crashed into the wall as the pink swords of Byakuya's senkei began to rise around them.

"How are you doing that?" he demanded, staring in amazement, "I sealed away your powers! Tell me how you did this!"

Byakuya called one of the pink blades down to his hand.

"How did you break the hypnosis? Tell me, you bastard!" the traitor yelled, flash stepping forward and crashing his blade into Byakuya's. Their swords crossed, tore free, and slashed at each other again.

"What's the matter?" Byakuya asked with calm sarcasm, "Have you realized that you are no longer in control?"

Aizen's face reddened with sudden fury and he slashed wildly at Byakuya, striking him several times and forcing him to give ground.

"I am your master! You answer to me. I own you! I control your fate! I can take your life in a heartbeat!"

Aizen's reiatsu exploded around him and struck Byakuya, driving him back against the wall of the fighting enclosure. The power swallowed up the pink swords and shattered them back into a lovely fall of petals. He closed in on Byakuya and forced him to his knees, placing his blade at the noble's throat.

"Surrender," he screamed, "Surrender or I will kill you!"

Byakuya felt Senbonzakura begin to re-form in his hand where it rested behind him…out of Aizen's line of sight.

"Byakuya!"

The blade was only half formed. Byakuya swallowed hard, hoping he would have sufficient time.

"I won't say it again!" Aizen snapped, moving his blade and drawing a thin line of blood.

Byakuya lowered his head, as though in defeat. He sensed a moment of hesitation in his enemy and brought Senbonzakura up. Kyouka Suigetsu slid across his throat and blood exploded outward.

"I told you I would kill you," Aizen roared, "Did you think I wouldn't. You are done! You will die and I will have my kingdom. You can't think…"

He stopped as he realized that Senbonzakura was buried in his abdomen. He stared into the noble's eyes disbelievingly.

"You know you've lost…I've slashed your throat…you can't even speak…"

"Yeah…" said Urahara Kisuke, stepping out from behind a pillar, "He is dying and he can't say it…but I can."

"And what good will it do, Urahara Kisuke? You can't release his zanpakutou! It's not possible!"

Kisuke smiled.

"I guess we'll see…"

He looked into Byakuya's pained eyes.

"Sakura…tenrei…rekka!"

Aizen gasped is dismay as white sakura blades engulfed his body, cutting through him with such fine edges, he did not feel them. He looked into the dying noble's eyes and read the triumph…then slowly, a smile formed on Byakuya's face. It was the last thing Aizen Sousuke saw before the blades exploded and turned his body to ash.

The room around the combatants went suddenly dark and the four found themselves falling. They knew then, that the game had come to an end and that it was time for their fates to be revealed…


	18. Hands of Fate

**Chapter 18: Hands of Fate**

Renji felt an odd, dizzy sensation, much like one waking from a dream. He found himself lying on cold stone in a darkened room. His heart was in disarray. He told himself that what he had seen…Byakuya's sacrifice…was part of the game and not reality, but his stubborn heart doubted until he felt the soft pressure of Byakuya's hand in his and found the noble's calm, gray eyes in the half light. He could see Urahara and Ichigo sitting quietly together a short distance away. Finally realizing that they had all returned, he was able to calm himself.

Aizen Sousuke was nowhere to be found…

Renji squeezed the noble's hand and smiled.

"You okay?" he asked softly, lifting himself.

Byakuya nodded and returned his smile.

"I am fine. My sacrifice was necessary as an aspect of the game, but was contained within it…and so was not a permanent thing. I am sorry that you suffered from doubts about that. It wasn't my intent to hurt you."

"I know that," Renji replied, reaching out to touch his face, "So…I see now what you were saying before…how you came from that earlier time. It must have been kinda shocking to wake up and find yourself in bed with me, ne? The way you were then, I would have thought you'd have cut me to ribbons for laying hands on you. But you had me believing you were in love with me. You're a good actor."

"Arigato…but I assure you, I was swept off my feet."

"Huh?" Renji said uncertainly, "What? You mean you…"

"I was genuinely affected by how deeply in love with me you had to be to react to my death in such a way. I had just lost Hisana, so I was feeling something similar to what you were. I connected with you through that common emotion and I couldn't help but love you in return. Your love is a very powerful thing, Abarai Renji. It comforts me to know I will experience its fullness…that my heart will heal enough to love that way again."

Renji frowned thoughtfully.

"So let me get this straight…now we met and got together before we even knew each other. Byakuya, that's just crazy!"

The noble nodded.

"Well," he said quietly, "you realize that because I would be in danger of disrupting events, I will return to the time I left and will have no memory of this."

"And if we were successful at changing our fate, you will never have to die in the first place, right?"

"Yes…I think so."

"Well," said Renji, moving closer, "then before you go back and forget me, let me hold you for a bit."

He wrapped his arms around the noble and the two exchanged several slow kisses.

"Renji," Byakuya said softly, "my mind may not remember this, but my heart will. And when I see you, even though I do not remember, my heart will know who you are."

Renji's eyes widened.

"Kami, I get it now!"

"What?"

"Well…it was something you said to me that night before you were captured by Aizen. I asked you why you fell for me…why you picked me of all people…and you said that your heart told you that it was right…and that it had been speaking to you beneath the surface of everything since the moment we met. That comment makes a lot more sense now…because I guess you'd already met me…"

"My heart already knew you," Byakuya said, smiling, "That is a very comforting thought, Abarai Renji."

The four shinigamis fell silent as a red light rose up in the room and the large, crimson form of Diablo appeared before them. He sat on a large jeweled throne and next to him was a smaller throne, to which a very angry looking Aizen Sousuke was bound. Diablo stood and approached them, his graceful, leonine form casting odd shadows around them.

"Well," he said, smiling, "welcome back. It seems it is time to award the winners and to punish the sinners…"

His eyes blinked slowly as he approached Kisuke.

"Urahara Kisuke, your task was to restore Kuchiki Byakuya's powers…and to enable him to fight as Aizen Sousuke's equal. You were successful in this task. Congratulations."

He moved on to Ichigo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, your task was to protect Abarai Renji from his own foolishness and to prevent him from interfering in the battle between Aizen Sousuke and Kuchiki Byakuya. And despite your friend's determination to undo himself, you also were successful."

The hollow god moved to stand in front of Byakuya.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, your task was to kill Aizen Sousuke and to end his dominance over you."

The demon god smiled down at him.

"You were resoundingly successful in doing so."

His eyes flared slightly as he regarded Renji.

"You," he said in a rumbling voice, "were your own worst enemy. You completely ignored your mission to protect yourself and your son and foolishly threw yourself into the path of danger, forgetting all else in your stunning commitment to saving Byakuya. That you were successful in your mission is a matter of good luck more than anything else. However…such devotion does even touch the heart of a devil like me. And I think Kuchiki Byakuya will be one who appreciates your lovely recklessness."

"Will be? Then he…" Renji began.

"Just a moment, impatient one," the demon said, his aura flaring in warning, "We have forgotten someone."

He turned to the bound figure on the smaller throne.

"Aizen Sousuke…little godling…your mission was to create Diablo's key without allowing harm to come to Kuchiki Byakuya. You not only failed to make the key, but you, yourself, killed Byakuya…again. It seems you will stop at nothing to destroy what you love. You have lost."

There was a pause, then a white light appeared and within it, two children. Diablo paused, gazing as Prince Yasahiro appeared with Akane at his side. The young prince smiled at the gathered shinigamis.

"Congratulations," he said, nodding, "You are to be commended for your performance. The four of you have won…and so are to be rewarded by me for your efforts."

He turned to look at Ichigo and Kisuke.

"The two of you acted heroically in your efforts to assist your friends. Your determination and willingness to give everything to the protection of your friends is greatly pleasing to me."

He smiled at Ichigo.

"You are unfailing in your bravery when it comes to protecting your friends, but there is one place that your bravery has failed you…one thing you have not had the courage to do. You know what this is…and you will overcome that fear…because the gift I am about to bestow upon Urahara Kisuke will require it."

He turned to Kisuke.

"You, Urahara Kisuke, want something you dare not ask for…something you think may be impossible, but even so, you have poured your effort into for years. You need look no further. As your gift, this desire of yours will become a truth…and it will bring you and Ichigo the happiness you deserve."

Ichigo turned to Kisuke.

"Do you have a clue what that kid is talking about?" he asked, scratching his head.

"I think I might," said the shopkeeper, "but I also think it's something that will happen after we go home."

"Huh?"

"Shh, just be patient."

"Oh."

The prince laughed softly.

"Go now to that reward."

A soft light rose around Kisuke and Ichigo and the two disappeared into it. Prince Yasahiro moved on to Byakuya. He rested a hand on the noble's shoulder and met the quiet gray eyes affectionately.

"You are too often sad," he said softly, "and your heart is too often burdened. But even so, you have remained strong, even in death. Your house has suffered great losses at the hands of the one who has caused so much pain and destruction. What you need most is peace…and a large family around you. And although what you experienced here was just a game, it has set you on the path to that future. Go now and find happiness."

Byakuya's eyes turned to Renji and offered him a look of deep gratitude as he glowed softly and disappeared. Prince Yasahiro moved on to Renji.

"Ah…before you send me away," the redhead said, smiling up at the prince, "Can I ask you something?"

The prince nodded.

"Well…if we won…and our fate is changed, doesn't that also change yours? Will you get your family back? I mean…"

"Sadly, no," Yasahiro said, lowering his eyes, "The spirit dimension is the lynchpin that holds the three worlds together. The history of all worlds is centered and fixed there…so while your fate will be changed, mine cannot."

"So…what will happen there now?"

The prince smiled sadly.

"I have already begun the work of rebuilding the royal guard, of restoring the palace and I have taken the first step towards rebuilding the royal family. You see, while Akane and I defended the castle together, I learned just what a good and courageous person she is. I asked her if, when she was of age, she would return to the spirit dimension and become my queen. She has yet to answer me. She said that she wanted to ask her parents…and I promised her that, as reward for her courage in helping me to seal and protect the spirit dimension, I would bring her here at the end of your game and allow her to ask the two of you your thoughts on the matter."

"But Byakuya left…"

Renji paused, looking up at the prince longingly. Yasahiro smiled at him and chuckled softly.

"Diablo was right," the young prince said, "You are unbelievably reckless, Abarai Renji…but you are also fiercely devoted to your family. You suffered a heavy blow when that family was split in two and your lover and son were lost. Many people would have been crushed by such a thing, but through determination and more than a little of that recklessness you seem to favor, you have earned a happier fate."

He looked up at Diablo.

"Hollow god, I believe that you have something that belongs to Renji."

The demon nodded and touched the wall next to him, revealing a door.

"Take your daughter's hand and pass through the door. Your fate awaits you."

Renji looked at Akane, who turned to the prince.

"I thought that you wanted my answer now," she said, looking confused.

The prince smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"You may tell me when you and your family come to the spirit dimension for my coronation. Go now, Akane. Your family is waiting for you. Ah…and don't forget this," he said, handing her her zanpakutou. Thank you both for your assistance in the spirit dimension."

The girl took the slim katana from the prince and ran to Renji, jumping into his arms and kissing him on the cheek. She buried her face in his shoulder and breathed deeply.

"I missed you, Daddy Ren," she said, almost crying, "I'm glad you're safe."

"I'm glad you're safe too, Akane," Renji said, kissing her on the cheek.

The redhead held her close and walked slowly to the door.

"Well…" he said, tightening his arms around Akane, "Let's go home…"

Holding her tightly, he stepped through the doorway and disappeared. Prince Yasahiro looked up at the demon, then at Aizen Sousuke. Quietly, he approached the bound shinigami.

"You destroyed my family and much of the strength of the Kuchiki family. And even though you lost the game, your fate will be better than the one I would have given you. I would destroy you. But because of your loss, your fate belongs to Diablo. He is your master now…and as of my coronation, you will lose the powers you stole from the royal family. Go then, to your fate…but know this, if you ever set foot in the spirit dimension again, I will destroy you, no matter who your master is."

The young prince glared at Aizen for a moment longer, then disappeared, leaving Aizen alone with the demon. Diablo approached Aizen, smiling.

"What are you thinking, Aizen Sousuke?" he asked softly, "Are you worried that I will devour you? I could, you know. I could devour you and it would give me the power I need to escape this place."

He reached out and touched the bound shinigami's face. Aizen scowled, making the demon laugh.

"But I am quite content, I think, to remain here for a while. I would partake of pleasures with my new servant. Shall we, Sousuke?"

"Touch me and I will kill you!" Aizen hissed.

Diablo laughed again.

"Ours is a kingdom that rests on skulls and fallen bodies. You lived among the hollows…and you know my history. Come, let us not be unpleasant with each other. I think that if you please me well enough…that I will offer you a greater game. You would like to escape the hourglass? I can tell you how…but we must work together…unless you truly wish for me to eat you and leave by myself…"

Smiling, he released the bonds on Aizen and allowed him to stand. The shinigami stood and looked up at the demon. Diablo sat down on his throne and let his reiatsu flare around the two of them. Inexplicably, Aizen felt himself forced in the direction of the hollow god. He stopped in front of the throne, his chest heaving with resistance.

"I don't mind your crimes the way they did," Diablo told him, "I too, ruled Las Noches and opposed the denizens of the spirit dimension and was entrapped here by them…so truly, I can be thought of as more ally than enemy. But right now, I wield power over you. You were one who knew the importance of punishing disobedience and rewarding obedience. I shall treat you well as long as you obey. Now…I would like to enjoy the pleasures of my shinigami godling. What say you, Aizen Sousuke?"

The shinigami answered with a blaze of reiatsu and a kido attack that shattered the demon god's throne and threw him back against the wall. Aizen smiled and stepped forward, watching as the hollow god righted himself.

"Ah," said the creature, licking the blood from his skin, "foreplay…"


	19. After the Storm

**Chapter 19: After the Storm**

Renji felt life coming back into his body and opened his eyes. He found that the place he was in was so black that he couldn't see his hand in front of his face…but he could feel quite a bit. His head throbbed and his stomach hurt like hell…and there was a warm weight on his chest, another on his shoulder, and a third pressed up against his other side. He loosed a hand and made a soft blue light appear in his hand, then sent it to float in the air above him.

He breathed in the sweet smell of baby and looked to where Raiden rested quietly on his chest, studying him with curious, wide gray eyes and sucking on several tiny fingers. He had a lot of hair for a newborn and it was the same color as Byakuya's, with several strands that trickled onto his forehead. His face was shaped more like Renji's, but he had the noble's quiet, pale features. Renji felt tears in his eyes as he tried to push away the memory of their baby being taken from them.

And worse…losing Byakuya _and_ Raiden…

He forced down the emotion and focused on how good it felt to hold his baby boy, to have his lover sleeping quietly on his shoulder and his daughter close beside him. He had his life back. _They _had their lives back! And Aizen Sousuke was gone…locked away in Diablo's Hourglass, probably, he thought laughing to himself, making very close friends with the big, red-skinned demon…

"Renji?" whispered Byakuya, turning his head to watch Raiden take hold of a long, silken strand of his hair and pull gently.

Renji turned his head and met the noble's dark, troubled eyes.

"What is it? Are you okay?" he asked, tightening his arm around Byakuya.

"I think so," Byakuya said softly, "but I feel odd…like I just woke from a nightmare."

"I think we all did…you, me, Akane…Raiden too."

He paused, gazing into Byakuya's eyes.

"Bya…do you remember?" he asked carefully.

Byakuya nodded.

"It's strange…almost as though one reality was simply superimposed over the other. The one made over feels distant…as I said, dreamlike."

"I don't want to think about it anymore. That bastard is gone…because you beat him. You made him lose to Diablo and now he's stuck in there…"

"Even stranger," Byakuya said, "is that…the memory of defeating Aizen…it feels even older and less real."

"Because for you, it happened a long time ago, didn't it?" Renji queried.

"Yes…but I didn't remember until just now…because what happened in the hourglass, for me anyway, was a bit of my future. It's so odd…"

"You…don't have to answer if you don't want to, but…do you remember anything from after…"

He stopped, unable to finish the question. The noble's eyes held his steadily.

"I remember falling into darkness, then waking again in a beautiful garden. I thought that I had fallen asleep there and I heard people calling me…all ones who had passed from life. For a while, I just listened to their voices, then I remembered that I had come there to look for Raiden. I looked around the garden and found him playing in a pile of fallen sakura petals. He was smiling…and I thought that he was too young to be smiling yet. Then…I heard my father calling me…and he was standing on a footbridge and waiting for us. We went as far as the bridge and we started across, but when we reached the middle, we found we found we could go no farther…and I felt a voice tell me to return to the garden to wait. My father held me for a long time…and he told me that it was no accident…and that there would come a time when we would cross the bridge with him. But I had more to do in life before then. We were in the garden for what seemed like ages, but no time passes there and nothing in the garden dies. Finally, the darkness fell over us again. I held Raiden close to me and I thought of how much I wanted to come home. I wanted to hold you again…and be with our children. And I wanted to wake up to a day where we didn't have to look over our shoulders anymore, where I didn't carry the burden of fearing him…of worrying that he would take us away from each other. I woke here with you…and it was like I hadn't been gone…"

"But you _were_ gone," Renji whispered, tears filling his eyes, "and I was so scared that I wasn't going to see you again."

He turned his head and breathed in the wonderful sakura scent of Byakuya's hair and tightened his arm around his lover's slender body.

"I'm never letting go of you again, do you hear me? This world just isn't the same without you…and every breath I took after you left, hurt like knives in my chest. I could hardly breathe at all."

"But you did. Because for me to be here again…you had to do what I had told you. You had to enter the hourglass…and we all had to win. Because you did that, I could come back. And now he's gone."

"He's in the hourglass…and it's with Kisuke. I am betting he finds a really great interdimensional hole to put that thing in! He won't come back."

"Renji," said Byakuya quietly, "Don't you understand…even if he does, we have more to fight him with…because I know I can win, now."

"Hey," said Renji, "it was actually more like a draw, you know. You still died."

"I wasn't trying to survive. That wasn't part of my task."

Renji's eyes bored down into his.

"Well, it is now. You are not allowed to leave me like that…not ever again!"

"I won't," Byakuya promised, "because that link that I tried to break between us…would not shatter…and it gave us hope even while I was lost to you. I could still feel you somewhere close to me. And I knew you wouldn't give up…Renji."

"You're not getting away from me…ever!" Renji half sobbed.

"Or me," said Akane, peeking over Renji's other shoulder.

Her eyes met Byakuya's and she scrambled around Renji, careful not to upset Raiden where he rested on Renji's chest. The two gazed into each other's eyes and smiled the same beautiful smile, then they were hugging each other and Akane descended into tears.

"Daddy Bya…my Daddy Bya! You came back!" she whispered, holding him so tight that the skin on her fingers went white. She rested her head on his shoulder and repeated his name almost soundlessly, "And our baby Raiden is here too. We are a family again."

Renji cleared his throat softly and sat up, holding Raiden in his arms.

"Akane," he said warmly, "Don't you have something to ask us?"

Byakuya frowned in confusion, but the girl's face brightened beautifully.

"Oh…yes!" she said excitedly, "Prince Yasahiro and I became very good friends while we were defending the spirit dimension! And he said that he had to have a coronation and that it was important for him to choose a girl to marry…and he said that he liked me because I was so brave, like my fathers…and he wants us to come back to the spirit dimension for his coronation, and he wants to marry _me_ when I am old enough! Is that okay?"

Byakuya stared.

"The spirit dimension? The prince?" he asked, bemused, "You two were _busy_ while I was gone!"

"But you were in my inner world! I saw you and you talked to me!"

Byakuya nodded.

"I was there when you needed me, but it's confusing. My memories of things are rather scrambled."

But you remember my zanpakutou, right?" she said, picking it up and handing it to him.

Byakuya looked down at the lovely, intricate pattern of the sheath and the beautifully crafted hilt.

"I will never forget this zanpakutou," he said softly, "She has already distinguished herself by protecting the spirit dimension…even being so young. And you, too, have done exceptional things to protect everyone, Akane. I am so proud of you!"

"Daddy Bya…" she said, hugging him again, "My Daddy Bya…"

"Okay…" said Renji, frowning, "I'm getting a little jealous. I was the one who had to play games with the devil while _he_ was sleeping in the pretty garden!"

"Oh, Daddy Ren, I'm sorry!" said Akane penitently, "It was only because…"

"Hey…you don't have to apologize, because I'm happy they're back too, kiddo."

"Well," said Byakuya, "Now that we're awake and the storm is over, we should take Renji and Raiden to the healing center to make sure they are okay."

"Do you think something is wrong with them?" asked Akane worriedly.

"No," Byakuya said calmly, "but Renji had a baby and there was no healer to help, so it's just best if we go there to have them get an examination."

"Oh," said the girl, "like when I get a checkup?"

"Yeah," said Renji, "just like that."

They left the shelter and found that the staff had already returned to the manor and was cleaning up the debris that laid about the garden. The house guards moved forward, making relieved exclamations at finding them unhurt. They dressed and left immediately for the healing center.

"So now," Byakuya said to Akane as they walked, "You are going to marry Prince Yasahiro?"

"Yes, when I'm older…if that's okay with you and Daddy Ren. We'll have to go to the spirit dimension for his coronation and sometimes we should go to visit him. He doesn't have any family anymore and I don't want him to feel lonely. He's really nice and he taught me a lot about fighting with a sword! He also taught me how to listen to the voice of my zanpakutou's spirit."

"He sounds wonderful," said Byakuya.

"Yeah, he's a cute kid," said Renji, remembering, "but it's odd, thinking that kid is our spirit king after the coronation."

"Well, he did already prove himself by defending the spirit dimension against Gin and Tousen and the hollows," said Byakuya, "Exceptional work for a young deity."

"Oh, I'm not complaining," Renji said, quickly, "I'm just surprised is all.

They reached the healing center and entered the lobby area. Hanatarou greeted them and showed Byakuya, and Renji to an examination room, then led Akane away to wait with him in the waiting room. Unohana taichou entered the examination room smiling.

"I think I remember suggesting to someone that he should have stayed at the healing center last night," she said, leaning over Raiden and examining him quickly.

"I must say, though," she went on, "that Byakuya and Akane did a wonderful job of attending. Your son is in perfect health."

"He sure has good lungs," commented Renji as the healer quickly examined him and nodded in approval, "He put up a fuss coming in here. I think he likes hospitals about as much as Byakuya and I do."

"So it runs in the family," Unohana said, smiling.

She turned to Byakuya.

"And while I have you and Renji here, I should have a look at your spirit centers to see how they healing."

Renji took Raiden from the noble and watched as Byakuya opened his shihakushou and allowed the healer to examine him. Unohana taichou ran her hands over his chest and abdomen, sensing the position of each spirit center and experimentally touching them with her reiatsu. She straightened and looked at Byakuya questioningly.

"I don't know how to explain this," she said, sounding surprised, "but Kuchiki taichou's spirit centers aren't just healing…they look as though they were never damaged. Even the one spirit center that Aizen Sousuke altered has been completely returned to normal. Try raising your reiatsu level."

Byakuya lowered his head slightly and the spiritual pressure in the room increased gradually until Unohana taichou nodded in approval.

"I would ask what you've been up to and how you managed this, but…given that you always seem to be surprising me, I think I will simply file it under 'unexplained' and leave it at that. You are quite lucky to be functioning so well so soon after such a serious injury."

"Oh, speaking of injuries," Renji began.

"Renji, I'm fine."

"What is it?" the healer asked Renji.

"It's nothing," Byakuya said, "Just…a tree fell and…"

"…and it pinned him underneath. It hurt his back."

"Abarai!"

"Hey! You should at least have it looked at, okay?"

"Renji does have a point," Unohana said, smiling, "Turn, so I can see, please."

With an annoyed sigh, Byakuya turned and the healer slid her hands down his back, sending her reiatsu into the area.

"Well?" said Renji anxiously, "Is he okay?"

"Byakuya is fine," the healer assured him.

"I told you, Abarai," the noble said primly, "It wasn't even sore this morning."

"Well," said Unohana, "Then I am truly mystified. It seems you are just one oddity after another today."

"Then we may leave?" Byakuya asked.

"Of course," the healer said, "Just remember to pick up your clearance to return to unrestricted duty and have Renji make a follow up appointment for himself and Raiden for one week from now."

"We will. Arigato, Unohana taichou," Byakuya said, "We will see you in one week."

"Or sooner, if you have any questions or issues," she added, turning towards the door.

They watched as she left, then Byakuya rose and set his shihakushou back in place. Renji watched, smiling.

"Unrestricted duty, huh?" he said, grinning, "Looks like the sixth division office is finally going to go back to normal, ne?"

Byakuya sighed softly.

"I was nearly in shock when she said it. It seems so odd. I've been so preoccupied with Aizen Sousuke and struggling to regain my powers that I haven't even had the chance to return to work."

"Would you like to stop in at the office on the way back home?" Renji said, "I wouldn't mind."

"I think that would be good for me. It's time I return to normal life, I think. I've spent a very long time recovering. But now, I finally feel ready to move on."

They walked out to the waiting area and reclaimed Akane.

"Is our baby okay?" she asked quickly.

"Our baby is perfectly healthy," Byakuya assured her, "And so are Renji and I."

Akane gave a relieved sigh.

"Finally, everyone is okay again," she said, taking Byakuya's hand.

The four left the healing center and walked back through the still-wet streets, enjoying the sunshine that peeked through the last of the lingering storm clouds. They stopped as they came to the doors of the sixth division.

"Renji," said Byakuya quietly, "I don't have my keys…"

"Oh, that's okay. I had new ones made after you returned."

"Ah, arigato for thinking of that."

He took the keys from Renji's hand and unlocked the door. He opened it slowly and walked into the quiet environs.

"Renji…" he said softly, "It looks as though I never left…"

"Welcome back, Taichou," Renji said, curling an arm around him, "I think you will find everything in place, all reports filed and all rosters up to date."

"Well," said Byakuya, staring at his desk and chair, "I obviously have a marvelous fukutaichou if I can take a five year vacation and return to find things in this serene state."

He turned and kissed Renji warmly.

"Well, I am back and Aizen is trapped in the hourglass now. We are free to begin rebuilding."

Renji pulled away and looked up at him.

"We should visit Kisuke soon and ask him what he did with it. Plus, I want to know what he and Ichigo got for winning the game!"


	20. Shotgun Wedding

**Chapter 20: Shotgun Wedding**

"Where are we going, Daddy Ren?" asked Akane as the two joined Byakuya, who held Raiden in a sling on his chest.

"We're going to see Urahara Kisuke and Ichigo. They said they have a surprise for everyone," Renji answered, squeezing the girl's hand.

"Is Rukia going?" Akane asked, looking around as they reached the central senkaimon.

"She will be meeting us there," said Byakuya, smiling down at her and tickling Raiden's cheek with a soft fingertip.

The infant gurgled and cooed happily.

"I think Raiden is happy to go and see them," the girl observed.

"I think we all are. Without Kisuke and Ichigo, we wouldn't be here," Renji said gratefully.

Akane moved closer to Byakuya and clamped a hand onto his shihakushou. He looked down past Raiden's contented face and smiled warmly.

"Are you all right, Akane?" the noble asked

The little red-haired girl's eyes had misted slightly, but she smiled at Byakuya and brushed her face against his clothing.

"I'm okay, Daddy Bya," she said, her voice shaking slightly, "I just got scared for a minute because I remembered something scary."

Byakuya reached down and took her hand.

"Renji and I told you that you will feel that way sometimes," he said bracingly, "It's only natural after what we've all been through."

"I know," the girl said, gazing up at him and smiling sadly, "and I'm just really glad you and our Baby Raiden came back."

"Me too," Byakuya replied, squeezing her hand.

They passed through the precipice world and dropped down into the park near Kisuke's shop, then paused to slip into gigais. As they continued towards the shop, Yoruichi flash stepped into view ahead of them.

"Yoruichi-san!" called Akane in greeting, "You look really pretty in that kimono!"

"Do I, now?" she laughed, "Come with me, you three. You will need some nice things to wear, too."

They followed Yoruichi into the shop and then into one of the bedrooms. Yoruichi went to the closet and removed a lovely green kimono, with a pattern of darker green, dancing vines and white flowers, and handed it to Akane. The girl's eyes flew open wide.

"Oh, Yoruichi-san! It's so pretty!"

"And it's just your size," the purple-haired lady told her, smiling, "Come on, Akane, we'll leave these two to get dressed in here."

They flash stepped out of the room, leaving her bemused parents looking after her. Renji chuckled and shook his head.

"So what do you think is going on?" he asked, "Cause I'm kinda thinking that our friends are getting married."

"It looks that way," Byakuya said, removing Raiden from the sling and placing him gently on the bed. The infant squalled at the loss of closeness with his father, but calmed quickly as Renji sat down next to him and tickled him on the nose. Small fingers grabbed Renji's larger finger and deposited it in the baby's mouth.

Byakuya moved to the closet and removed two more formal kimonos, one a bright, royal blue and the other a lovely, deep red. Byakuya studied them for a moment.

"Renji…these are very finely made…" he observed.

"I guess they're going all out on this, but you sorta had to expect it, ne? Those two have been seeing each other forever!"

"But," said Byakuya, "I was under the impression that Ichigo feared his father's reaction."

"I thought so, too," said Renji, shrugging and picking up the blue kimono.

Byakuya frowned thoughtfully and gazed at Renji appraisingly, then shook his head and began to dress.

"Here," said Renji softly, "Let me help you with that."

He positioned Byakuya in front of the mirror and slowly removed his clothes, then wrapped his arms around Byakuya from behind and kissed him affectionately on the throat. Byakuya took him by the chin and sank into his mouth again, then let him go and watched as the redhead set his kimono in place, then spent several minutes brushing out the long black hair and resetting the kenseiken. He stood back, admiring the noble.

"You look damned beautiful, Bya. Perfect."

Byakuya smiled.

"Enough time wasting, Abarai. You do need to get dressed as well, ne?"

"Yeah…I'll get to it," Renji grinned, picking up his kimono.

Byakuya walked back to the bed and picked up Raiden, then watched as Renji dressed.

"Renji," he said thoughtfully, "have you given any more thought to what you would like to do for our wedding? We do have council approval to go ahead with the preparations…"

Renji turned away from the mirror and Byakuya caught his breath softly at how he looked, dressed in the fine kimono, with his hair long and shining, loose over his shoulders.

"Why?" Renji laughed, "In a hurry to be tied down?"

Byakuya shook his head reprovingly.

"I will never consider marriage to you any kind of bondage, Renji," he said, stepping forward and pulling him close, "and I am looking forward to sharing our lives. We missed out on so much we should have had before. I know not to look back and regret…but I…I do wish I hadn't taken so long to realize who you are to me."

The redhead reached up and caught Byakuya's face in his hands. He stared into the dark, gray eyes lovingly and kissed him gently on the lips.

"It was worth every minute," Renji said nuzzling a porcelain cheek, "And we have now…and tomorrow…and all of the tomorrows after that."

The door opened and Yoruichi peeked in.

"Are you two ever going to be ready?" she asked, flash stepping to the bed and picking up Raiden, "Look, I'll take him. You two go down the hall and wait with Kisuke and Ichigo."

"But…" Byakuya began, stopping as Yoruichi flash stepped away again.

"Come on," said Renji, "I'm ready."

They left the room and walked to the end of the hallway, where Ichigo and Kisuke stood in formal kimonos and looking somewhat pale.

"Oh kami, I just hope I don't throw up again," complained Ichigo, "It would really mess things up…"

Kisuke smiled and slipped an arm around the youth.

"Ichigo…nothing is going to ruin this. Trust me."

"Kisuke," said Renji, smiling, "It looks like half the Seireitei and all of the living world folks are trooping through your shop today. What, did you guys invite half the three worlds to this thing?"

"You should see the training room!" Ichigo exclaimed, "You won't believe it. I don't know how he did it…and so fast!"

"Aww, we had like a month since our little trip into the hourglass," said Urahara, smiling, "Anyone could have set this up in a month."

"So…" said Byakuya, looking meaningfully at Ichigo, "will your father be here?"

Ichigo chuckled nervously.

"Yeah…he's already front and center."

"So, he took the news of your relationship well, then?"

"Ah," said Ichigo, smiling ruefully and rubbing the back of his neck, "Not really…but once he heard he was going to be a grandfather, he was too busy crying by my mom's picture and telling me how much it meant to him to even ask whose it was! Then, he went into a lecture about how I was doing everything backwards…and then I told him about Kisuke and me."

"And how did he take it?" asked Renji, grinning.

"Took us three days to peel him off the ceiling and another week to get him to speak to me again, but then he calmed down about it. And today, he looked really happy."

"Well…he did say he still wants to shoot me," Kisuke laughed, "but since we're making it legal, he's going to hold off on that, I think."

"That is a relief, I imagine," said Byakuya.

"So," said Ichigo, his eyes twinkling happily, "Are you guys ready?"

"Ready to go in?" said Byakuya, "Of course…"

"No," said Renji, turning and taking his hand, "Are you ready to marry me, Kuchiki Byakuya?"

The noble stared at him in stunned silence.

"Aww," said Kisuke, "He's speechless, Renji! I don't recall _ever_ seeing Byakuya speechless before!"

"So this explains why you and Akane have been going on so many outings lately," the noble said, recovering himself.

"Yeah," Renji said, laughing, "She, Rukia and Yoruichi and Tessai and the kids took care of all of the decorating…and Akane chose our kimonos."

"But the council…"

"All here, and in full support. Your cousin Yoshinori has that group under his thumb now. And everyone you would want to be here…is here. Everything is ready so…" Renji said, dropping to one knee, "Will you marry me now, Byakuya?"

Byakuya gazed down into the redhead's beautifully happy expression.

"Renji," he said with mock disdain, "get off of your knees."

He pulled the redhead to his feet.

"You are never to stand anywhere but on equal ground with me…and yes…I will."

"All right," said Kisuke, smiling widely, "It looks like we're ready."

Rukia appeared at the end of the hallway and joined them, pausing to kiss Byakuya on the cheek.

"I am very happy for you and Renji, Nii-sama," she said, her eyes misted, "You two have waited for this for a very long time."

She moved forward and placed herself between Ichigo and Kisuke. Akane scampered up to them and stood between Byakuya and Renji, each of them holding one of her hands. They proceeded together down into the underground training room. As they entered, Byakuya's eyes widened at the sea of guests, the display of lights, bright flowers and colors everywhere.

"Oh, Renji," he whispered breathlessly, "This is amazing!"

They watched as Rukia walked down the aisle between Kisuke and Ichigo, stopping at the front to place Ichigo's hand in Kisuke's.

"I feel some responsibility here," she said, smiling, "because I was one of the forces that brought you into each other's lives. So…nobody runs away, okay?"

"Hey," said Ichigo, grinning, "I'm having the guy's baby! No one's running anywhere! Well…except maybe if my dad really brought his shotgun…"

Kisuke laughed and kissed Rukia's cheek.

"Thanks, Kuchiki," he whispered in her ear, "for everything!"

Akane led her fathers down the aisle and stopped at the front, taking Byakuya's hand and lightly setting it in Renji's. Each bent to allow her to kiss them on the cheek, then the girl moved to stand near Rukia. Kuchiki Yoshinori stood in front of the two couples, waiting as the room quieted.

"Welcome," he said in a deep, warm tone, "We are gathered here to celebrate the joining of two couples in the bonds of holy matrimony. Marriage is a sacred bonding, a completion of selves…and the beginning of a new journey. Only those resolved in heart should take these steps, so I ask you…who gives these couples to be wed? Who stands up to witness their devotion? To testify to their commitment?"

"We do!" said Rukia and Akane enthusiastically.

Yoshinori nodded.

"Urahara-san, Kurosaki-san, Renji-san…Byakuya-sama, do you all swear that you have sought these marriages of your own free will, and with intent to honor the vows you will make today?"

"We do," said the four together.

"Then speak your thoughts to each other as you prepare for your joining."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Kisuke said, taking the younger shinigami's hands, "I was wondering if we would ever go down this road together…not because I ever doubted our feelings for each other, but because we always seemed to stop just short of this…always second guessing ourselves. But finally, there will be no more guessing. There's no better testament to what is between us, than the new life we are bringing into the world. I know it wasn't easy getting to this point, but now that we have, I promise to love you and our little one…and to thank kami every day that we got here. Ichigo, aishiteru yo."

Ichigo blinked away the mist that had settled over his eyes and squeezed Kisuke's hands.

"Urahara Kisuke, you came into my life at a difficult time…a time when all that I could see was how I needed to be stronger…how I had to give everything to protecting my friends who were in danger. You picked me up out of a pool of blood and turned the nothing that I was into someone with the strength to defend what matters. And to me…you and our little one are what matters. I will use every bit of the strength you helped me to find to love and protect you. Kisuke, aishiteru yo."

Renji turned to Byakuya.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, my lover, my taichou and my friend, I think that you and I have been through more already than many couples experience in a lifetime. We've been broken in pieces…and torn apart, but always, we manage to find our way home to each other. You are the love of my life…the one I know I was meant to be with. We have already been blessed with two beautiful children, and I am so looking forward to every day we will spend enjoying our time with them. Looking back…even as hard as it was…and as much as some things hurt, I wouldn't change a thing…because everything we did, every hurt we suffered, pushed us towards each other, not away, and it made us strong enough to stand together against whatever the future brings. I look forward to waking up each day next to you, the single most beautiful person I've ever known. Byakuya, aishiteru yo."

Byakuya swallowed hard and blinked back the tears of happiness he felt at Renji's words. He took a breath and met the redhead's eyes warmly.

"Abarai Renji, I can say now, with complete honesty that I loved you before I knew you. I know that we were, at one time, adversaries, but even in the worst of our differences, we were drawn to each other. And whatever emotion there was between us, it was always passionate. I am grateful that before I fell into the hands of our enemy, I was able to tell you what I feel for you. I can't imagine having gotten through that five years without that exchange of love…without our Akane. And when I came home again, I could not have recovered myself, had you not been at my side, encouraging me and helping me to put my life back together. But…I was not the only one who suffered. You too, fell into our enemy's hands…and you suffered as I did. But you were stronger than me. You never broke under the weight of loss…of pain…of our enemy's hatred. You fought with more courage than anyone could…more than anyone should have to…and because you would not yield, we are in this place today. Arigato, my love, I promise you that I will spend every day of the rest of our lives showing my gratitude…and my love. Renji…aishiteru yo."

Yoshinori nodded in approval.

"The couples have made their statements of commitment and will now undergo the rites of binding…a sacred exchange that requires firm resolve and absolute truth. If there are any who have proper reason why these four should not be wed, let them speak now…or forever hold their peace."

Ichigo flinched at the muffled sound that rose up behind them as Karin and Yuzu quickly subdued their father. Smiling patiently, Yoshinori moved on.

"Urahara Kisuke and Kurosaki Ichigo, do you take each other now to be lawfully wedded spouses, to have and to hold from this day forward? For richer and for poorer…in sickness and in health? Will you love, honor and cherish each other for all of the days of your lives?"

"We will," said Kisuke and Ichigo together.

The Kuchiki head elder gently bound their hands together, then turned to Byakuya and Renji.

Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Byakuya, do you take each other now, to be lawfully wedded spouses, to have and to hold from this day forward? For richer or for poorer…in sickness and in health? Will you love, honor and cherish each other for all of the days of your lives?

"We will," promised the two.

Yoshinori bound their hands together.

"Kisuke, Ichigo, Renji, and Byakuya…having taken the vows of marriage, you are given unto each other. I now pronounce you partners in life, bonded in love and blessed by the council of elders. You may now exchange a kiss as the first gift of your newfound joy."

The room erupted in applause and exclamations of happiness as the couples exchanged their kisses. They turned and walked back down the aisle and moved on into the reception area to start the celebration. Renji squeezed his new life partner's hand and kissed him again.

"This is going to be one hell of a party," he said, grinning, "but it's got nothing on what's going to happen when we go home tonight!"

"Why?" asked Byakuya, "Do you have something else I don't know about planned?"

"Naw," Renji laughed, "Just making love to you until we're too overwhelmed to breathe and too sore to move, that's all!"

"Hmmm…and what about our children? They don't always sleep through the night."

"I'm one step ahead of you, Taichou," Renji said, kissing him again, "Akane and Raiden are staying here with Yoruichi, Tessai and the kids. Kuchiki Manor is all ours."

"All ours, you say?" Byakuya repeated, smiling, "Then Renji, I am all yours."


	21. Honeymoon

**Chapter 21: Honeymoon**

"I don't think I ever saw Byakuya so surprised," commented Ichigo, letting his yukata slide off his shoulders and drop onto the floor as he joined an equally bare Urahara Kisuke in bed, "He really had no idea today was going to be his wedding day."

"I don't think I've seen Abarai Renji so happy. I have to say, though, it's been a long time coming. They had to fight for it. But they're safe now."

"I think we'll all be sleeping a little easier now," said Ichigo, settling against Kisuke's shoulder and meeting him for an exchange of slow, wet kisses, "You did a good thing getting rid of that hourglass."

"Yeah…although an interdimensional rift isn't a permanent solution. The real solution will only come once I figure out how to destroy the hogyoku so we can kill that bastard."

"Huh…" Ichigo chuckled, lifting himself so that his body straddled the one beneath it, "You may not have killed him, but locking him away with Diablo will give him something to keep him busy for awhile, ne?"

"I'd say so," said Kisuke, his eyes glazing over as Ichigo brought his lover's hardened member to his entrance and lowered himself slowly onto it, "That demon has some really nasty tricks up his sleeve…"

He trailed off, locking his eyes on Ichigo's as their fingers intertwined tightly and their joined bodies began to move together.

"Hey, ah, Ichigo," he said more softly, "You sure you're up to this? You were pretty miserable earlier…"

The ginger-haired youth only laughed and intensified the thrusting of his slender hips.

"Nothing…is going to…wreck our wedding night," he panted, "I'll be fine…and so will our little one."

"Ah," Kisuke managed as pleasure began to send his mind into a slow, dizzying spin, "that's good…good…ah…what was I saying?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya slipped out of the formal kimono he wore and wrapped a white silk yukata around his slender frame. He turned to Renji, who was already changed, and the redhead smiled and silently extended a hand, then the two left the dressing area of Byakuya's bedroom and walked back to the bed together. They paused beside the bed and looked out through the open doors and into the brightly decorated gardens.

"It was nice of your staff to decorate things for us," commented Renji, "The place looks even more beautiful than usual, don't you think?"

Byakuya smiled and nodded.

"But," he added, reaching up to pull the hair tie from Renji's hair, "I have something even more beautiful here…"

"Really…" Renji said, looking around.

Byakuya caught Renji's face in both hands and locked their eyes together.

"You are beautiful, Renji," he said, slipping his fingers into the long red strands, "and I look forward to a lifetime of enjoying that."

He rested his head against his spouse's shoulder with a contented sigh.

"There is nothing to keep us from happiness now," the noble continued softly, "This place is peaceful and safe once more, our children are secure and happy, the council is firmly entrenched in our corner, and Aizen Sousuke is gone from our lives. I don't pretend to think he cannot escape again…but now I know that whatever foul plan he tries to employ…Renji…you and I are stronger. We need not fear him any longer."

"Well," said Renji, turning his head to nip lightly at Byakuya's lips, "I think that between Diablo and that interdimensional rift Kisuke placed the hourglass in, Aizen Sousuke will be too busy to mess with us…for a long time."

Byakuya lifted his head off of Renji's shoulder and kissed him, letting his dark eyes close and sinking deeply into the redhead's embrace. Renji's tongue stroked his lips gently, then slipped into his mouth, meeting and caressing his and making him press his body closer to his lover's. A moment later, he caught his breath lightly and stepped back. Renji gazed at him questioningly.

"Is something wrong?" Renji asked, frowning.

Byakuya shook his head and let a hand slide down to his abdomen.

"I should warn you, though…that noble couples always conceive a child on their wedding night. So that means that I have to ask you…which of us will carry the child?"

"Huh?" Renji said, looking confused, "You mean…it's like you can choose?"

"If decided before making love, yes," Byakuya explained.

"Then…why did you get pregnant both times before?"

"The chaos surrounding us prevented me from taking an active role in such a choice…so by default, I became pregnant."

"But you could have made me…?"

"Yes, not that I would have done so without your consent. The first time we were together, I wasn't sure you were the one…my soul mate…the one who could awaken me. The second time, we were together amidst great chaos and in the midst of our bonding, and the spirit chamber had already formed inside me. But Renji, are you sure that you do not wish to have the full experience, from beginning to end? I promise you, you would not be sorry."

Renji laughed softly.

"Well, although having Raiden was a really neat adventure…I uh, think I would rather be the strong, overprotective father. I don't do the quiet, nurturing thing as well as you, you know? I think you're better at looking radiant, and I'm better swinging a sword at anything that tries to get near you, ne?"

Renji stared in surprise as Byakuya smiled and chuckled softly.

"As you wish, then," he said, "but I do hope that in the future, you might consider it. I think you do a wonderful job of looking radiant. And I would happily play the role of overprotective father, raising my sword to protect my family."

"All right," Renji laughed, "Next time…"

"Next time," Byakuya repeated, sinking into his arms again.

Renji moved forward, lowering Byakuya slowly onto his back on the bed as the noble contented himself clinging warmly to the redhead's body and tracing the tattoos that ran down the sides of his throat with curious fingertips. Renji's hand took hold of the ties that held their yukatas closed and pulled them free. He let his yukata fall open to reveal the full expanse of tattoos that danced across his chest, down his abdomen and seemed to purposely draw the eyes down to the flushed and large arousal beneath them. Byakuya pushed gently against his shoulders, holding him away for a moment to take in the lovely sight and to breathe in the delicious, masculine scent of him. An unusual, almost playful look entered the noble's eye and that was the only warning Renji had before he was suddenly overthrown.

"What the…?" he gasped, then Renji was silenced as the pale, glowing body of his spouse set itself on top of his and Byakuya gazed down at him hungrily.

Byakuya laced his fingers into Renji's and pushed the redhead's hands down on either side of his head. He attacked the tattoos he had been admiring with hot, delicate strokes of his tongue that sent a pleasant jolt through Renji's midsection and left him too breathless for words. He arched his hips upward, rubbing their lengths together as Byakuya commenced a slow crawl down his body, chasing the pretty black lines that led him ever closer to the redhead's leaking member. Renji watched, entranced as the noble's eyes went hazy with contentment, as the wicked, pink tongue caressed each black line, then dipped into his navel and rose out of it to follow the trail of red hairs downward. The noble paused to smile up at Renji's flushed face, then lowered his head to pleasure him. Renji groaned and tried not to thrust too hard as Byakuya's mouth continued its warm manipulations, pausing now and then to release him, lick away the moisture, then to continue. Just when Renji was convinced he could take no more, Byakuya shifted and moved to straddle his body, holding his length in position and taking it inside him in slow, gentle thrusts until he was fully entrenched and Byakuya's hands set themselves lightly on the redhead's chest.

Renji looked up into the noble's wide gray eyes and peaceful expression and felt happiness flood his body at the deep contentment in his lover's face, and the absence of the lingering pain and sadness that had been there before.

_He really has come back…finally. He knows now that he can fight Aizen if the bastard ever does get free. He isn't afraid anymore…and that means…it means we can live again._

He reached down and captured the noble's round bottom, loving the feel of Byakuya's petal soft skin on his calloused hands and encouraging the heavy, wonderful rise and fall of Byakuya's body on his. The noble leaned forward, his breath releasing in soft puffs that teased Renji's skin as his hips moved hard and fast against the redhead's and both lovers found themselves beyond words at the intense pleasure the movement caused. Renji freed a hand and reached down to wrap a hand around Byakuya's hot and leaking member, sliding down its length as Byakuya's body continued to writhe and dance on top of his. He bucked his hips upward, sending a jolt of pleasure through the noble, making him gasp and his chest heave as his hot release erupted between them. Renji released the noble's member and wrapped both hands around Byakuya's hips again, holding himself deep inside as pleasure claimed him and he emptied himself in hard, gripping pulses.

Byakuya collapsed onto his chest, his eyes glazed with contentment and his lips smiling sweetly. Renji wrapped his arms around the noble, holding their bodies close together as they rested in each other's arms and let sleep overtake them.

XXXXXXXXXX

Diablo admired the dribbling wounds on his skin and then the lovely bared body of the powerful shinigami that had treated him to them. Heavily bound in the devil's kido, Aizen Sousuke could only glare at the red hollow god as he moved closer, his eyes flaring dangerously as Diablo ran his hands over the freshly healed skin.

"The noble, Byakuya was a lovely man," Diablo said in a low growl, "but you have your own wicked beauty, Aizen Sousuke."

"I'll be happy to show you the full range of my wickedness," hissed Aizen, "Unbind me and we will duel."

Diablo laughed and the sound echoed through the hourglass.

"I could do that…if I wished to play…or I could eat you and escape. But escape seems less attractive when we would not be able to return to our worlds."

"I can return us out of the interdimensional rift he placed us in," offered Aizen, "If rather than eating me, you instead release me and let me use the full strength of our combined power…"

The demon laughed again.

"Perhaps…but before we do that, I think I would like to enjoy the fruits of my labors. You did, after all, lose the game."

"But if you devour me, then you will be trapped here. You don't know how to escape and I do," Aizen reminded him.

"That is a problem," admitted Diablo, one hand sliding down his red body and wrapping around his rising erection, "but it is something I think we can come up with a solution to. I imagine I could devour you in a different fashion…leaving you alive to be of assistance in escaping."

He climbed onto Aizen's white back, positioning himself between the bound man's thighs. He laid his heated body along the shinigami's back and licked the skin on the back of his neck. One hand slid down Aizen's body and pushed into his entrance.

"You are a man who has brought a considerable amount of pain into people's lives, Aizen Sousuke…especially into the life of Kuchiki Byakuya."

"And why concern yourself with how much I made Byakuya suffer?" the shinigami asked.

Diablo smiled.

"Because his suffering nearly resulted in him becoming a very powerful hollow. I encountered him after his death…and we indulged in another game…to decide his fate."

"Another game?"

"Yes," the hollow god laughed, "It turns out that Byakuya is much better at games of strategy than I imagined. He defeated me quite handily at several before I granted him a certain desire."

"And what was that?" asked Aizen, trying not to wince as the demon's large fingers pushed into him, thrusting and stretching.

"He said that if he could have one desire granted, he would see you punished by every person you ever hurt in your lifetime. And bless his heart, I found that desire in him so touching that I promised that if you lost your game and the others all won, I would see to that desire."

"How kind of you…" Aizen said sourly.

"Well, it won't be so bad…" said Diablo, his body glowing and beginning to change, "I think you'll find this first accuser quite pleasant…even as he returns the pain you caused him…"

Aizen flinched as he felt a tickle of silken hair against his shoulder and the sweet scent of sakura rose up around them. Diablo, now looking the perfect image of Kuchiki Byakuya, leaned over the restrained shinigami's shoulder and pecked him lightly on the cheek.

"You see," he said in Byakuya's voice, "There is balance in all things. You held him against his will, and now he holds you. You took him against his will, now he will take you. You caused him enough pain to make him become a hollow…and now he will return that pain in full…"

The hollow god, removed his fingers and pushed into Aizen's body, then, pressed down along his back and licked the shell of an ear.

"I don't think this will be bad," he commented, "But I won't make promises about what it will be like as you face the others…so you may want to enjoy this one…"

"Bastard," hissed Aizen, "You…and that insolent noble are going to pay for this!"

Diablo laughed in Byakuya's voice and thrust into Aizen roughly.

"I look forward to that," the hollow god replied, thrusting harder.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke late the next morning to the sound of voices in the gardens. Turning, he found himself alone in bed. He rose and dressed, then stepped out the garden doors and found Renji at the patio table with Rukia, Akane and Raiden. Raiden was in Rukia's arms, sucking happily at a bottle, while Akane sat on Renji's lap, chattering about her stay with Yoruichi in the living world.

"Well," said Renji, looking up, "Look who decided to join us…"

"Daddy Bya!" Akane squealed, jumping off Renji's lap and running towards him.

She launched herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. Byakuya hugged her back and carried her back to the table, where he set her down and took a seat beside Renji.

"Good Morning, Renji," he greeted his spouse, kissing him, then turning to address the food on the table.

"Good morning, Nii-sama," Rukia greeted him.

"Good morning, Rukia," the noble replied, curling an arm around Akane as he started to eat.

He tried not to smile as Renji's toes teased his under the table.

"We were talking about going to see the horses after breakfast," reported Akane, "I want to see Raiden's horse…and Renji's!"

"That's right," agreed Byakuya, "Renji will have one too now."

The group hastily finished breakfast and left the gardens. They flash stepped to the waterfall and down the cliff face, Byakuya carrying Raiden in a front pack and Renji holding Akane on his back. As they set down in the meadow, Ikazuchi reared and squealed, then the horses raced across the field to where the shinigamis waited.

Akane caught her breath as a brand new, wobbly legged foal appeared beside one of the mares. He was coal black, with a white star on his forehead and another on his nose.

"Oh!" she gasped, "Raiden is going to love you!"

Byakuya stepped forward and the foal brought his face close to the infant's, blowing sweet, hay scented breath on him and making him coo softly and touch the horse's velvet muzzle.

Another loud neigh sounded and the group looked up to see a huge red stallion moving towards them at high speed. Renji looked around at the others and then back at the approaching steed. He stared at the odd, golden eyes and the black stripes that ran in haphazard lines all over him.

"Wh-what is that?" Renji gasped, "Is that a horse? A zebra? Some kinda…demon? What?"

"That," Byakuya said, "is your spirit steed. I think he reflects your personality rather well, ne?"

The great beast honed in on Renji, failing to slow as he closed in on the surprised shinigami. Renji turned and flash stepped away, the horse close behind as he fled, yelling epithets and calling to Byakuya to 'get the damned thing to leave me alone.' Rukia and Akane looked up in surprise at the sound of Byakuya laughing. Across the meadow, the red demon horse, lowered his head and caught Renji, still running, throwing him into the air and catching him on his back.

"What the hell? You crazy thing! Let me DOWN!" howled Renji, "Byakuya! What do I do?"

The noble stifled another laugh.

"Just say his name, sternly," he called back.

"Wh-what is his n-name?" Renji cried.

"Come now, Renji," said Byakuya, "Listen with your heart. It will come to you."

"Aw, damn it!" complained the redhead, "I knew you'd say something like that! Ah…Baka! Ketsunoana! Yakkaigoto!" (Idiot, Ass, Trouble)

The red beast slid to a stop, sending Renji tumbling over his shoulder and crashing to the ground. The redhead lifted his head and glared up at the spirit steed as he blew through his nostrils and stamped impatiently.

"_Seriously_," muttered Renji, "Yakkaigoto?"

The horse tossed his head and whinnied.

Renji sighed and dropped his face into the grass. His spirit steed lowered his head and began to chew on the redhead's hair.

"Oh kami, quit it, will you?"

"I think he's perfect for you," observed Byakuya.

"Yeah," laughed Rukia, "I think you two will be very happy together. After all, idiots and trouble go together, ne?"

"Hey!" yelled Renji.

Byakuya stepped forward and helped the redhead to his feet.

"He's actually rather exotic, Renji…much like you."

"You don't need to insult me," muttered the offended shinigami, "Damn thing looks like his stripes don't know which way they're going…red with gold eyes…maybe he's a hollow in disguise…"

Yakkaigoto gave a soft horse laugh and nuzzled Renji affectionately. After a warning glare and a long pause, Renji lifted a hand and patted the feisty beast lightly on the neck. Byakuya stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Renji, giving him an affectionate kiss.

"It's official now…you are family, Renji."

"Huh…" huffed Renji, "I don't know if I want to be part of one of those stuffy noble families…but…if it means being with you, I guess it won't be so bad, ne?"

"No," agreed Byakuya, gazing up at him and smiling, "I think we make a beautiful family."


End file.
